


God Is A Woman.

by parisdesai



Category: La casa de papel | Money Heist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 21
Words: 79,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27051904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/parisdesai/pseuds/parisdesai
Summary: They thought she was just another poor soul they had taken hostage for the sake of the heist but little did they know that she would change everything because she was a woman that didn't take orders from anyone let alone a leader like Berlin.
Relationships: Berlin | Andrés de Fonollosa & Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	1. Chapter 1: I'm Not A Woman You Can Push Around Berlin.

**Author's Note:**

> "Fall in love with   
> someone's dark side.
> 
> Find the ugliest parts,   
> the danger that lurks inside   
> when no one is watching.
> 
> Get down deep to the bottom   
> of their soul, where you feel   
> as though you've seen hell  
> and love the hell out of that person.
> 
> Because if you fall for someone's   
> light before you've stood alone   
> in their dark, then you're only   
> loving the person they show you   
> and that's not real."
> 
> \- Stephanie Bennett-Henry

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _1:38 P.M._

"Hello." The receptionist said with a wide grin as I approached her. "How can I help you today?"

"I'm here to see Mr. Román." I said as I threw my sunglasses into my black Louis Vuitton handbag. "I have an appointment with him."

"What is your name?" She asked politely.

"Paris Laurent." I said with a smirk. "He's expecting me."

"You're Mrs. Laurent?" She asked as her eyes opened wide.

"Indeed I am and it's _Miss_ Laurent." I clarified for her.

"My apologies...I...uh was under the impression you were married." She stuttered.

"I am." I said with a confident chuckle. "Although I'm not quite sure that my husbands _other_ wife would like it if I said that I was married."

"Other wife?" She asked incredulously.

"Oh darling let's not get into it." I said with a wink. "I have a job to do isn't that right?"

"Yes...yes of course." She said as she stood up and slowly walked around her desk. "Mr. Román is in the warehouse right now. If you'd be so kind as to follow me then I'll take you too him."

"Lead the way." I said with a grin as I stepped aside so that she could walk in front of me.

"Thank you." She said softly as she guided me down a small hallway.

"This is where The Royal Mint keeps their priceless pieces of art?" I asked with a scoff. "This hallway looks like a shitty concrete box that you put together in two minutes."

"I'm only a secretary ma'am." The woman said with a nervous chuckle as we approached a door. "I'm not in charge of where the art is stored."

"Is this the door to the warehouse?" I asked as I stared at the small metal entrance way.

"Yes." She said as I nodded my head and pulled the handle open roughly.

"Be careful!" She exclaimed.

"Oh relax." I said as I waved off her concern with my hand. "You have to learn to live life with no fear."

"If you worked here then you'd know that's close to impossible." She said with a sigh. "There's always something to worry about."

"I highly doubt that." I said sarcastically as I turned away from her and walked down the small concrete steps.

"Mr. Román!" I screamed as my red bottomed heels clicked against the floor. "Are you here?!"

"Who the fuck is that?" A worker hissed.

"Paris." I said with a smirk as I turned to the man that had just spoken. "Paris Laurent."

"Should that mean something to me?" He snapped.

"Perhaps not. But you should know I'm an art dealer and I'm the woman that could make sure you're unemployed by the end of the day if you don't show me some respect." I shot back at him with a wink. "So I suggest you be a good little boy and shut your mouth before I make a phone call that will most definitely ruin your reputation in this building."

"Excuse me? Miss Laurent?" The receptionist asked nervously as she pointed to a man standing by one of the trucks. "Mr. Román is over there."

"Very well." I said as I smiled at her and began walking towards the end of the room.

"Miss Laurent." The man said with a giant smile as I approached him. "Welcome to The Royal Mint. My name is Arturo and I'm the director. I assume you've been treated well since you've arrived?"

"Sure." I said with a chuckle. "If that's how you want to think."

"What do you mean?" He asked in confusion.

"It's nothing." I said as I held out my hand for him. "I look foreword to doing business with you Arturo."

"The feeling is mutual." He said as he grasped my hand and gave it a firm shake.

"So do you want to explain to me what's happening here?" I asked with a raised eyebrow as I watched a police car enter through the back gate.

"We get weekly deliveries of money." He explained as he guided me towards the car. "There's a police detail that arrives every week with the deliveries."

"Don't you print money here?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes."

"Then why do you receive weekly deliveries of money?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Doesn't that seem a bit...excessive?"

"No...no. We print and receive money." He said with a smile. "We do it all."

"I see." I said with a grin as I looked around at the crates being pulled from the truck.

"Who's that?" I asked as I looked at one of the men sitting in the police car.

"I'm not sure." Arturo said as he stared at him. "He must be new or something."

"He looks very smug to be an officer of the law." I commented.

"I don't judge..." He started to say but before he could finish two men popped out of one of the crates and gunshots echoed throughout the warehouse as everyone screamed in fear.

 _Great._ I sighed to myself as Arturo and I hid behind one of the trucks.

"What the fuck is going on Mr. Román?!" I snapped at him harshly.

"I don't know!" He screamed. "This has never happened before."

"So it's just my luck that gunshots go off for the first time on the day that I come here?!"

"Stop screaming at me!" He shouted. "It's not my fault!"

"I'm fucking leaving." I said as I narrowly avoided the men with guns and I walked towards the exit.

"No." The man from the police car said with a cocky grin as he positioned his gun towards my face. "You're not leaving."

"You can't blame a girl for trying." I said with a smirk as I stared at his weapon. "Can you?"

He said nothing.

All he did was grab my arm harshly as he dragged me towards the stairs from which I came in from.

"Hey!" I snapped at him in anger. "I can fucking walk by myself. I'm not your fucking dog."

"Denver!" The man screamed as he looked behind me and forcefully shoved me into another mans arms. "Take her down to the main hall with the other hostages."

_Hostages?_

"Fair warning." The man said as he began to walk away. "She's mouthy."

"What a fucking dick." I muttered to myself.

"Denver!" Another man screamed. "Let's fucking go. Bring her with us."

"I have a better idea." I said with a wink as the man who apparently identified himself as Denver looked down at me. "Let me go."

"Yeah." He snorted in amusement. "Like I'd do that."

"Can you at least let me walk on my own?" I snapped at him.

"Fine." He sighed as he let go of me and allowed me to walk in front of him.

"At least one of you has manners." I said bitterly as I walked through the small concrete hallway.

"Go this way." He directed sternly as he grabbed my arm yet again and walked me into the main entrance way of the mint.

"Get in line." A woman said as she lightly pushed me into one of the lines next to her.

"First of all. Good morning." The man from earlier said as he looked around. "I'm the one in charge now. I'll begin by offering my apologies. I'm aware this isn't a good way to end your week."

"Fucking moron." I muttered softly as Arturo glared at me from across the room.

"But now all of you are here as our hostages. Follow our instructions and you will be safe." The man continued to say.

"Pin." Denver asked the woman standing next to Mr. Román.

"2...0...1...8." The woman stuttered.

"Cellphone." Denver said to Arturo as he quickly handed him the phone. "Pin."

"What? Why do you need my pin?" He asked.

"Give me the fucking pin or I'll beat it out of you. You decide." Denver snapped.

"1...2...3...4." The man said quickly as I bursted out laughing.

"Are you serious right now?" Arturo snapped at me. "We're being held hostage and you're laughing at my pin?!"

"I'm sorry." I said with a smile as I struggled to hold in my laugh.

"You think you're real smart but you have that shitty pin? What's your name you moron?" Denver asked him with a smile.

"Arturo."

"Arturo what?" Denver asked.

"Arturo Román."

"Arturo Román...good... _Arturito_." Denver said as I snorted and I refocused my attention back onto the man speaking.

"I'm going to protect you." I heard him call out as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at what he did next.

"Hey...give me your hands." He said to a woman. "Relax. Relax. Tell me your name."

"Ariana." She choked out.

"Ariana." He repeated. "Feel my hands. Are these the hands of a monster?"

"No." She stuttered.

"No. Because I'm not a monster. I know exactly what you're feeling right now. Your mouth is dry and your heart is racing. You need to try and calm down. Just breathe...just breathe. There you go. Please everyone start breathing. There just like that." He cooed as he stroked the woman's hair and I rolled my eyes at his antics.

"Is he always this irritating?" I asked the woman standing next to me with a gun perched on her shoulder. "I'd prefer you shoot me right now if I'm going to have to stand here and listen to him talk the whole time."

She snorted loudly next to me as she turned to face me. "What's your name?"

"Paris." I replied smoothly. "And you?"

"Nairobi."

"Like the city?" I questioned with a raised brow.

"Yes!" She exclaimed with a look of appreciation etched on her face.

"Kenya is beautiful. I've been there many times." I said with a small smile. "Have you been?"

"No." She sighed. "But hopefully after this I'll finally be able to afford to go."

"I suggest going to the national park when you're there. It's absolutely breathtaking."

"I'll take that under advisement." She said with a genuine smile. "Thank you."

"No need to thank me." I shrugged.

"Where are you from?" She asked me.

"I live in Berlin."

"Then why are you in Madrid?"

"The director of the mint had called me and asked if I could fly here so I could estimate the worth of some of their pieces of art." I explained.

"You're an art appraiser?" She asked incredulously.

"Above many things...yes."

"What do you mean above many things?"

"I also own my own wine company." I said. "Ever heard of _vino en el corazón_?"

"Wait you created that wine?" She asked in shock.

"Mhm."

"Nairobi!" The man shouted. "What do you think you're doing?"

"She's speaking to me." I shot at him with a smirk. "What? Was everyone else in the fucking room supposed to shut up while you charmed your way into that poor woman's skirt?"

"She's got balls." Denver said from behind him.

"My dear." The man in front of me said with a devious smile. "Care to tell me what that conversation was about?"

"Well." I said with a chuckle. "I asked her to shoot me."

"Interesting." He replied with an amused chuckle of his own. "May I ask why?"

"I didn't want to watch you miserably fail at seducing that woman any longer. It was absolute torture."

"And that was it?" He asked Nairobi. "I could've sworn I heard my name."

"I asked her where she lived." Nairobi said quickly. "She told me that she lives in Berlin."

"Berlin?" The man questioned with a devilish smirk. "What do you do in Berlin?"

"I own a wine company and I'm an art appraiser." I said smoothly as his eyes visibly lit up.

"Fuck." Denver sighed from beside him. "Don't do it."

"Don't do what?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Because if he's going to shoot me then by all means fucking do it."

"You'd prefer death?" The man asked.

"Life is not guaranteed." I said simply. "Death on the other hand is inevitable. Everyone's time in this world is limited and you have to enjoy the privilege of being able to take a breath every day. I've done everything I wanted to do in my life. So if I die tomorrow or perhaps even today I wouldn't mind."

"Oh my god she speaks philosophically too." Nairobi groaned.

"You are one of a kind my dear." He said with a smirk.

"Indeed I am." I said with a chuckle. "I _am_ one of a kind while you are just another ordinary man that thinks he can control a woman."

"If you hadn't noticed you don't have much of a right to judge me right now considering I'm the one with the gun." He said as he stared at me.

"I already told you that I prefer death." I said casually but before he could retort back the phone began to ring loudly.

"Berlin." Nairobi snapped. "The phone."

_Berlin?_

"Yes I hear it Nairobi." He said with a sigh of irritation.

"Berlin?" I questioned as the name rolled off my tongue easily. "Did you pick that name because of Hitler?"

He glared at me quickly but he ignored my comment and turned his head. "Will Mónica Gaztambide please step foreword."

Nobody moved.

"Where are you? Mónica Gaztambide would you be so kind and step foreword."

"Now." Another woman said harshly as everyone slightly whimpered.

"I'm Mónica Gaztambide." A woman spoke softly as she ripped her hands away from the other hostages.

"Finally." I sighed in an irritated tone of voice as Berlin pulled her roughly towards the phone.

"Answer the phone and convince whoever is calling that we shut down because of a technical problem. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She whispered as he took her hand and placed it on the top of his gun as she gasped.

"I don't have any choice but to point this gun at you. Can you feel it?"

"Yes." She said again.

"Good." He said sternly. "Answer."

She nervously picked up the phone as she began to speak. "Royal Mint of Spain...can I help you...I'm sorry Arturo is unavailable at the moment...our system is down...no I can't get him...he's not able to take calls now...that's not possible...no but...because I don't know...I don't know...I don't know where he is right now...I don't know if he's somewhere in the museum or the cafeteria...he could be anywhere around here ma'am!"

I watched as Berlin smirked as she slammed the phone down. "That performance deserves an Oscar Ms. Gaztambide."

"You all will be given a few minutes to rest while we prepare for our next step." Berlin called out. "Rio will be watching you."

_Rio? Why the fuck are they going by city names?_

"Denver go get the bags and Rio stay here. The rest of you prepare for what's to come." Berlin ordered as they all nodded their heads and walked off in separate directions.

"So you're Rio?" I asked the young boy as he paced back and forth in front of me.

"Yeah." He said with a small smile and I smiled back at him.

He clearly wasn't like Berlin. He had a sense of humanity and from what I could tell he was remorseful of his actions.

"You have a lot of guts standing up to Berlin like that." He commented with a friendly chuckle. "Not many men would do that let alone a woman."

"He is nothing more then a sexist pig." I said emphatically. "And I _don't_ take orders from men."

"Listen I know that out there in the real world a woman can do or be anything." He said nervously. "But in here? In a place where Berlin is in charge? I'd be careful. He doesn't take kindly to anyone questioning his authority and I'd hate to see you get hurt because he didn't like what you had to say."

"I appreciate your concern." I said genuinely. "But I think I'll take my chances with him."

"Rio!" A woman screamed as she quickly made her way down the stairs and over to us. "What are you doing?"

"I'm speaking to a hostage." Rio said with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

"I was just curious." She said as she grabbed his hand territorially.

"Relax." I said as I chuckled. "I'm not trying to date your boyfriend...I'm married..or I was."

"How do you know he's my boyfriend?" She asked pointedly.

"Well by the way you just snatched his hand into your own once you saw him talking to me it became clear that you were marking your territory." I snorted.

"Oh..." She said as she immediately dropped his hand which in turn made Rio frown. "Fine."

"And what city name are you?" I asked with a smirk. "London? New York? Milan?"

"Tokyo." She said as I nodded my head in appreciation.

"Wonderful choice." I commented with a grin. "I must say if I had to pick one I'd most definitely have that name on my list."

"What's your name?" Rio asked curiously.

"Paris." I replied.

"You're shitting me right?" Tokyo asked in disbelief. "Your actual name is Paris?"

"Yes." I said with a chuckle. "My mother thought it would've been classy to name her daughter after the city she got knocked up in."

"Your mother seems like an interesting woman." Tokyo said with a smile.

"I wish I could say she was."

"Rio! Tokyo!" Berlin screamed as he made his way down the stairs with the others. "Stop talking and get ready. We're going out now."

"Sorry." Rio said apologetically as Tokyo pulled him towards the door.

"Nairobi! Denver! Move your asses along! We don't have all day!" Berlin shouted.

"Alright fine!" Nairobi shot back at him as Denver passed her a duffle bag full of money.

"Everyone ready?" Rio asked as they all stood in a line and pulled their masks on.

"When I tell you too that's when you go out." Berlin said sternly as they all nodded.

"Shoot at the ground." He said lowly.

"We've got it." Denver assured him.

"Two minutes!" Berlin shouted as he stood in front of us.

"One minute and forty seconds!" Berlin called out. "One minute and..."

I snapped my head at him to see why he had stopped but that's when I realized Arturo had been talking.

"What's your name?" Berlin asked as he walked up to him.

"Arturo." He said nervously.

"Arturo is it?" Berlin said as he slapped his hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't say anything! I didn't say anything I swear!" He screamed.

"Look at me." Berlin ordered. "Hey Arturo look at me."

"No I can't!" He screamed.

 _Oh for fucks sake._ I internally groaned. _Just fucking do it._

"I'm sorry." Arturo sobbed as he slowly lifted his head to meet Berlin's gaze.

"Do you like movies?" He asked as Arturo looked at him in confusion. "Do you?"

"Yes." He cried. "Yes I'm a big fan."

"Okay then." Berlin said with a chuckle. "Have you noticed how in horror movies in the beginning there's always a nice guy and you say to yourself he's gonna get himself killed."

"And then it happens." He whispered.

"No." Arturo sobbed.

"He gets killed." Berlin continued. "Arturo trust me. You're gonna be that guy."

"Berlin they're coming!" Rio shouted.

"Thirty seconds." Berlin repeated to the rest of the group as the loud noises of the sirens could be heard in the distance.

"Now!" Tokyo screamed and I watched as the rest of their faces morphed into anger as she ran out presumably early.

"Tokyo wait!" Rio shouted as he ran after her.

"Tokyo!" Nairobi shouted as she watched Rio get shot.

_In that moment I made the worst decision of my life._

_I willingly chose to risk my life for a group of people I didn't even know._

_I became an accomplice to a crime I had no knowledge of and if I didn't play my cards right I undoubtedly fucked up my entire future._

I ran out of line as Berlin's voice echoed throughout the halls as he screamed for me to walk back to him but I ignored his screams.

The clicks of my red bottomed heels were the only thing I focused on as I ran out with my hands held high and stood in front of Tokyo to cover her.

"What are you doing?" She hissed in my ear as I backed up onto her body.

"Use me as a shield." I whispered. "Act like you're going to shoot me if they don't stop shooting at you. Once they stop I'll help you drag him in."

"Why are you helping me?" She asked with her voice laced with confusion.

"I wish I knew." I groaned.

She reluctantly nodded her head and picked up her gun.

"Stop or I'll shoot her right now!" Tokyo growled as she pushed her gun against my neck forcefully.

"Please don't shoot! I'm a hostage!" I screamed. "My name is Paris Laurent! Please don't shoot!"

"Stop your fire!" One of the policemen said as I internally sighed with relief. "She's a hostage!"

"Drop your guns or I swear to god I'll fucking shoot her!" She screamed again.

"Please!" I begged them. "I don't want to die!"

"Lower your weapons!" The officer screamed as they all reluctantly complied with his demands.

"Now." I whispered to her as we immediately grasped Rio's jumpsuit and dragged him back into the building with us.

"Denver close the doors!" Berlin shouted as I dropped to my knees beside Rio and ripped off his mask.

"What are you doing?" Tokyo asked harshly.

"I was a nurse." I explained as I gripped his neck to check on his wound. "I can help if you allow me too."

"Okay." She said softly as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"What the fuck was that?!" Berlin screamed as he walked over to me. "Do you have a death wish?!"

"Shut the fuck up you useless piece of shit." I snapped at him as Nairobi and Denver looked on at me in shock. "You may be the leader of this little charade but I'm the woman who just saved your asses out there. I was a nurse in my early twenties and I can help your friend but in order to do that I need you to calm the fuck down and stop talking to me as if I'm a dog."

I rolled my eyes as he glared at me in silence.

"I can't do anything for him here." I said as I redirected my eyes onto Tokyo. "I need to lay him down and I need medical supplies."

"I'll bring you up to the office." She said as she wiped her hand across her face. "It has a first aid kit."

"Okay." I said as I nodded my head and we both picked Rio up and put his arms on our shoulders as we dragged his unconscious body up the stairs.

"Thank you." She whispered softly to me as I nodded my head.

"I don't want to see anyone die in here." I said genuinely. "No matter who it is."

"You're not who I thought you were." Tokyo said as we made it to the top of the steps and she silently directed me to take a turn.

"I feel the same way about you." I said with a small smile. "All of you...except Berlin...seem to be very kind."

"Berlin's a psychopath." She snapped.

"I agree. And then you add in thing one and thing two that follow him around and it just makes his ego soar to new heights." I said dryly.

"By thing one and thing two I'm assuming you mean Helsinki and Oslo?" She asked as I nodded my head.

"They're not that bad when you get to know them." She explained. "They just respect the chain of command _too_ much."

"Nairobi or you would've been a better fit to lead." I said as we opened the door to the office and laid Rio down on the couch.

"I tried to explain that to our... _boss_...for a lack of a better term but he insisted Berlin was the best choice." She scoffed as she handed me the first aid kit and I poured hydrogen peroxide onto a small tissue.

"I need you to hold him down while I put this under his nose." I instructed as she nodded and forcefully pushed down on his shoulders.

"What will that do?" She asked.

"The alcohol should be a strong enough scent to wake him up and then I can check his wound." I explained.

"Tokyo!" Denver screamed as Nairobi and him bursted through the door in anger. "What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Ready?" I asked her as she ignored Denver and nodded her head at me.

"Ready." She said as I placed the tissue under Rio's nose and I watched in elation as he began to stir.

"Rio?" Tokyo asked as she hugged him tightly.

"Tokyo." I snapped lightly. "I know you're excited but I need to check him out first."

"Okay." She said softly as she turned to Denver.

"Sit up." I said to Rio as I gently helped him up and began to clean up his wound. "It's just a graze."

"Then why was he unconscious when you dragged him in?" Denver asked harshly.

"He must've hit his head when he fell. If you look closely there's a bump on the lower back of his skull." I said as I glared at him. " _Next time_ I suggest you tone down your attitude considering I'm doing you all a favor by helping him."

"Explain to me what the fuck that shit was! What the fuck are you trying to do here?! Are you fucking nuts?!" Denver screamed as he ignored my threat and turned to Tokyo. "You shot at the police!"

"Calm down. When they came those fucking police out there shot first. What would you have done? Spit on them?" She spat.

"You know what fuck this." Denver said as he turned around and walked away from her.

"You know what you should've done back there! Stuck to the fucking plan dammit! We've been over it four hundred million times! Didn't we agree nobody is going to shoot anyone?!" Nairobi yelled.

"I blacked out from the impact..." Rio choked out as I wiped the blood away from his face.

"I don't care!" Denver screamed. "We were there to back you up but we took shots at the ground! Not right at the damn cops!"

" _You_ didn't save my ass out there." Tokyo screamed. "Paris did!"

"Because she ran out there like an idiot." Denver seethed.

"Excuse me?!" I snapped. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"The guy with the gun." He said with a smirk.

"I'll shove that gun so far up your ass you won't even know where to find it." I yelled as I cradled Rio's head in my lap as I felt around for any other bumps.

"What did you say to me?" Denver asked through gritted teeth. "Let me remind you that _you_ are a hostage. You're not one of us!"

Before I could retort back Berlin opened the door and the room went deathly silent.

"They're taking the injured cops away." Berlin said. "Have you connected the phones yet Rio?"

"No he hasn't." I snapped at him. "He's lucky he doesn't have a fucking concussion so forgive him if he's not jumping like a monkey after you bark an order."

"I suggest you watch your tone with me." Berlin said lowly as he turned his head to face Nairobi.

"Cut off all wireless and radio signals." He said as he held his hand out for everyone's ear pieces. "We're switching to analog."

"Call The Professor." He added as I watched Berlin dump the small microphones into the fish tank and grab the phone.

"Do it." Berlin ordered as Rio groaned and pulled himself onto his feet.

"Be careful." I said as I helped steady him and I watched as he connected a wire to the phone.

"Aren't you going to escort her out of here?" Denver asked Berlin.

"No." He said as he shook his head. "As much as you hate to admit it she saved you. Therefore she can stay for the call."

"What a joy." I said sarcastically as Denver paced around the room in anger.

"You're fucked." Berlin said to Tokyo with a smirk as he dialed the phone.

"What happened?" A man asked immediately.

"Two cops were wounded." Berlin said.

"Who fired?"

"Tokyo." He said as Tokyo snapped her head in his direction.

"Connect the cameras for The Professor." Helsinki snapped as Rio nodded his head and pressed a button that was connected to a panel.

"They shot at Rio and Tokyo shot back." Berlin explained. "Apparently they're seeing each other."

"What?" The man's voice asked in confusion.

 _This group really needed more women._ I thought to myself as I looked around the room.

"Let me talk to her." The voice demanded as Berlin handed the phone off to Tokyo.

"What?" She asked harshly.

"He wants to talk to you." Berlin said with a wide grin.

"Fine." She said as she snatched the phone from his hand and spoke into the microphone. "What do you want?"

"Is that true?" The man asked. "Are you seeing Rio?"

"Are you serious?" Tokyo snapped. " _No_. The love of my life died because of me so the last thing I'd do is get involved with some kid. I fired only to protect myself and my partner. And listen Professor. Even if you spend a lot of time planning everything things don't always turn out how you expected." Tokyo said as she abruptly hung up the call and stomped out of the room.

"Well." I said sarcastically. "I think that went fantastic. You all truly have such a great working dynamic!"

Denver glared at me and attempted to open his mouth to say something but Berlin beat him to it.

"Come with me to my office." He ordered as I stood up and sighed.

"First of all you have no right to order me around but I guess I'll humor you and go." I said with a smirk.

"Fix that attitude before I fix it for you." He snapped at me.

"Pray tell." I said with a chuckle. "How would you attempt to _fix my attitude_?"

"In ways you'd never have imagined." He said with a cocky smirk. "I can assure you that by the end of this heist I will have you kneeling down before me."

"Like hell I will." I snorted. "I'd rather die than kneel down before you."

"Only time will tell if that's true." He commented as he turned around and began to walk towards the door. "But somehow I doubt that it will be."

"For someone who most definitely thinks of himself as one of the most intelligent men in the world you're actually quite stupid." I said as he ignored me and continued walking.

"You're going to get yourself killed." Rio called out with a frown.

" _That's the plan_." I said with a wink as I followed Berlin out the door.


	2. Chapter 2: Strip For Me Darling.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _2:13 P.M._

_"You're going to get yourself killed." Rio called out with a frown._

"That's the plan." I said with a wink as I followed Berlin out the door and walked alongside him throughout the hallway.

"Do you have something to say?" He asked in annoyance as I eyed him up and down.

"May I ask what this impromptu meeting is about?" I snapped at him.

"Patience is a virtue my dear." Berlin commented as he opened a dark wooden door to reveal an elegant office on the other side.

"Patience is a necessity for those willingly to wait for things to happen and I can assure you." I said as I walked into the room. "I don't wait for things to happen... _I make them happen_."

"Is that so?" He asked as he shut the door and made his way to the large chair behind the desk and sat down.

"Yes." I replied confidently.

"Please." He said as he gestured to the couch placed in front of him. "Have a seat."

"Why should I?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why am I here?"

"I just want to get to know my favorite hostage a little better. Is that so wrong?" He asked innocently.

"I'm your favorite hostage?" I snorted. "Really?"

"You saved two of my colleagues from the police." Berlin said with a wicked grin. "Why wouldn't you be my favorite?"

"I don't like you." I said emphatically.

"And I don't like you." He said in amusement.

"You're a cocky son of a bitch aren't you?" I asked with a smirk.

"It's one of the many things that women tend to love about me." He replied with a smirk of his own.

"Women actually fall for your useless speeches and fake charm?" I said in disgust.

"Fake charm?" He asked dramatically. "My charm is anything _but_ fake."

"Whatever you say." I replied dryly.

"Well." He said as he swiftly changed the subject. "Now that we've gotten that conversation out of the way. May I ask you a few questions?"

"It depends." I countered. "What do I get in return?"

"What do you want?" He asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"I want to ask _you_ a few questions as well."

"Fine." He replied.

"How will I know you're telling me the truth?" I asked him sharply.

"You won't." He said with a shrug. "So I guess you'll just have to trust me."

"Trust is earned not given." I shot at him.

"Are you saying I haven't earned your trust?" He asked.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked in disbelief. "You're holding me hostage in this god forsaken building and yet you still have the fucking audacity to ask me if I trust you?"

"You have an attitude problem." He said with a grin. "As I said earlier I'd be glad to fix that for you."

"I'd rather you just shoot me and end this now."

"Why are you so eager to die?" He asked curiously.

"I don't give a damn if I live or die." I said casually. "There's no particular reason why...I just don't care."

"People strive for immortality above everything else in the world but you don't." He said as he studied me.

"What can I say?" I said with a chuckle. "I've always been a woman that was different."

"Why do you feel the need to categorize yourself as a woman all the time?" He asked in amusement. "Do you think we'll forget you're a female?"

"Why do you always feel the need to display your power as if it's an accessory that you want to show off to the world. Isn't that a bit presumptuous of you?" I countered.

"Not at all." He replied with a grin. "I _am_ the man in charge."

"And you've made that abundantly clear." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"I hold all the power and I want everyone in this building to know it." He said with a chuckle. "If anyone dares to cross me they'll suffer the consequences."

"And what consequences might those be?"

"It depends on the person _mi reina_." He said with a smirk threatening to break out. "You my _Aphrodite_ will just have to wait and see."

_Aphrodite? Oh hell no._

"I am not Aphrodite." I said emphatically.

"No?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm Cleopatra." I said with a wink.

"How are you Cleopatra?" He asked with an amused chuckle.

"Cleopatra made it clear that she would not share power with any man. She was a strong woman who dropped her husbands name from all official documents. She also kept his face off of currency and reserved that honor for herself alone." I explained with a cocky grin. "She is a woman who knows that a man isn't worth anything more than a quick fuck."

"Really?" He asked curiously. "That is what you think?"

"Men are heartless human beings who don't deserve a beautiful woman by their side."

"Men rule the world _mi tesoro._ " He replied.

"Men only rule the world because they consider woman as incapable objects of sex." I shot back at him. "I can assure you my darling I am anything _but_ incapable."

"You are interesting."

"I'm independent."

"Independence in a woman is very attractive." He commented with a grin.

"That's funny." I snorted. "I would've taken you for a man that loved a basic "damsel in distress" that would fall for every word he said."

"Then you've clearly thought of me wrong."

"Have I?" I asked.

"You have." He said emphatically. "I like a woman that will fight for what she believes in. It makes the experience more enjoyable when I break her."

_What an asshole._

"Excuse me?" I asked sharply. "Who do you think you're talking too?"

"A married woman." He said casually as he gestured to the faint tan line on my left ring finger.

"And what if I confirmed that you were in fact talking to a married woman?" I challenged him. "What would you do?"

"You wouldn't want to know."

"Is that right?" I asked him as my eyes scanned around the room and they immediately landed on a box full of wine bottles with a familiar label placed on the front that read _vino en el corazón._

"Yes that's right." He said.

"Do you enjoy _my_ wine?" I asked as my lips twitched up in a cocky grin.

"That's your wine?" He asked as he raised both of his eyebrows up in surprise.

"Indeed it is." I said proudly as my eyes traced over the design of the bottle. "I created the label for it as well."

"You draw?"

"As I told Nairobi a few moments ago." I explained. "I do many things. I draw. I sing. I'm an art appraiser. And I own a wine company."

"You sing?" He asked. "I do as well."

"I didn't ask." I said with a smirk.

"Neither did I."

"Perhaps you're right." I said as I nodded my head and I stood up from my seat.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked me.

"As pleasant as this conversation has been I'm done talking to you." I said with a wicked grin as I walked to the door.

"It wouldn't be a wise choice to walk out of that door." He said with an evil chuckle.

"I've never been a woman to make wise choices. My marriage and my choice of a husband proves that."

"Touché." He said with a grin.

"Have a wonderful day... _Berlin_." I said with a smirk as I walked into the hallway and slammed the office door closed behind me.

"Paris!" A voice shouted and I stopped dead in my tracks as I turned around.

"Rio." I said with a genuine smile as he walked up to me. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a lot better." He said as he placed his hand comfortingly on my shoulder. "Thanks to you."

"It was nothing." I said as I waved him off dismissively. "I'm just glad I could help."

"Tokyo and Nairobi really like you." He said. "It's really hard to impress them...especially my girlfriend."

"I got that feeling." I said as he laughed softly.

"Everybody thinks you're very impressive for standing up to Berlin like you do."

"I can handle Berlin." I said as I rolled my eyes. "He's just like my husband."

"So I take it your husband isn't a great guy?" He asked me as we began walking down the hallway.

"Hardly." I snorted. "He's the definition of a greedy self absorbed man."

"What did he do?" Rio asked nervously. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

"No." I said quickly as I shook my head. "While he was married to me he had another wife and two children."

"Oh my god." He breathed out.

"That's exactly what I said."

"I'm sorry Paris." He said sadly. "You didn't deserve that."

"Nobody does." I said as we turned the corner and made our way towards the stairs. "Can I ask you something Rio?"

"Anything." He said with a smile. "After all you saved my life."

"Stop saying that." I said. "I didn't save your life. You would've been fine without me."

"I'm not too sure about that."

"Why did Tokyo tell your boss that you aren't together?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not sure." He said as his face visibly faltered. "I guess she did it to try and prove a point to him."

"And what point is that?" I asked incredulously. "Shouldn't your boss be aware of your relationship considering it might affect all of this?"

"The Professor." Rio said softly.

"What?"

"Our boss...he goes by the name of The Professor." He explained.

"Oh?" I asked. "Is he some genius or something?"

"He's the smartest man I've ever met in my life." Rio said genuinely. "Besides Berlin."

"Berlin isn't smart." I scoffed. "He's just egocentric."

"As much as I hate to admit it...Berlin is very intelligent. That's why he was put in charge of this heist."

"Tokyo would have been a better choice." I said. "Nairobi or Denver as well."

"I love my girlfriend very much." He said. "But she couldn't lead this team."

"And why not?" I asked pointedly. "Because she's a woman?"

"No." He said sternly. "I don't have any prejudice against women doing anything."

"Then what is it?"

"She operates based off of her emotions and not her loyalty to the heist."

"I see." I said as I nodded my head in understanding. "If it came down to it she'd sacrifice the plan if she deemed the situation fit."

"Exactly."

"How did you guys end up here? Or more precisely how did _you_ end up here?" I asked curiously. "You seem like a kind young man who lives by the basic codes of human decency. So how does someone like yourself get roped into something like this?"

"I was handpicked by The Professor to be involved with this heist." He explained. "We all have criminal pasts and we've had some pretty shitty childhoods so we have nothing left to lose. I suppose that's why we were put on his radar in the first place. He approached each of us based off of our various expertises and offered us 2.4 Billion Euros."

"What?" I choked out in disbelief. "2.4 Billion Euros?!"

"You want to know the best part?" He asked with a smirk.

"What?" I asked breathlessly.

"We're not stealing a single dime of the governments money." He said as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "We're going to print our own money."

"How?"

"Nairobi." He said simply.

"She's a counterfeiter." I said as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

"She's _the best_ counterfeiter." He clarified.

"And what do you do?" I asked him. "What do _you_ contribute?"

"I'm one of the best hackers in the world." He boasted pridefully.

"What does Berlin contribute to the group?" I asked in disgust. "His ego?"

"He's one of the most wanted jewel thieves in the world." Rio said. "He is the man responsible for the heist of the Champs-Élysées in Paris."

_Wait. What did he just say?_

"That narcissistic asshole is the man responsible for one of the biggest heists in the world?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. "Him?!"

"Yes." He said emphatically. "He was."

_Mother. Fucking. Son. Of. A. Bitch._

"I can't believe it." I said as I shook my head. "No wonder why he's so full of himself."

"He has a right to be." Rio pointed out.

"Apparently." I said. "It's quite impressive but I'd never admit that to him."

"I suggest you don't." He said as he chuckled. "He'd never let you forget the fact that you said it."

"I know." I scoffed.

"Come on." He said as he gently grabbed my arm. "I have to bring you back down there."

"They all probably hate me because I helped you." I said with an amused chuckle.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"If I can handle Berlin I think I can handle Arturo Román and his little worker bees." I said with a smirk. "They don't stand a fucking chance and do you want to know why?"

"Why?"

"Because I am a deadly woman who knows exactly what she wants." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

Rio snorted in response and shook his head softly. "You remind me a lot of Berlin."

" _That's_ not funny." I said as I narrowed my eyes at him accusingly.

"I wasn't trying to be funny." He said as he dragged me down the steps with him.

"Try and be convincing." I instructed as he nodded his head.

"I'm sorry if I'm too rough." He apologized.

"Don't be." I said as I smiled softly but I quickly changed my facial expression into one full of anger.

"Hey watch it!" I screamed as Rio hurled me into the line of hostages.

"Don't try anything stupid or I swear to god I'll shoot you." He threatened as he walked away and I sat down in silence.

"Are you okay?" A woman whispered to me.

"I'm fine." I said in a monotone voice as Arturo glared at me from across the room.

"Do you have something to say to me Mr. Román?" I asked him.

"Why would you help them?!" He hissed at me. "You're a fool."

"I'm the fool?" I asked as I let out a loud laugh. "Me?"

"Yes you!" He exclaimed. "The police could've apprehended them if you hadn't ran out there like a headless chicken!"

"Did you just call me a chicken?" I asked in amusement.

"You are the reason why we're all stuck here!" He screamed.

"No!" I screamed back. " _You_ are the reason why we're all stuck here! Not me! _You_ are supposed to be the director of this shit hole and _you_ allowed eight armed criminals to waltz in here! So don't you fucking _dare_ try and blame it on me."

"Two of them would've been dead by now if you didn't interfere!" He argued.

"So you wish death upon people whom you don't even know?" I asked as I arched my eyebrow.

"They're criminals." He said emphatically.

"Criminals whom you don't even know." I shot at him.

"I don't need to know them to understand the fact that they're horrible people."

"You're an imbecile."

"I'm the imbecile?!" He shouted. "You're the woman who mouthed off to the psycho leader with a gun!"

"Yes I did." I said as I nodded my head. "What's your point?"

"My point is..." Arturo began to say but he was cut off by another voice.

"Stand up!" Berlin screamed as he made his way into the main entrance with the rest of the group following him.

_Oh great...he's back._

"He said stand up!" Oslo screamed again and I sighed as everyone practically tumbled over each other to get to their feet.

"Let's behave." Berlin said as Helsinki started to hand out jumpsuits to everyone.

"Something unexpected has come up and despite those helicopters above us they're giving us a few hours of quiet. So you can rest now. In a few minutes we'll pass out some sleeping bags, water, and a sandwich." He said as everyone nodded their heads in silence.

"Oh and I want to ask you a favor. Take your clothes off." He said with a smirk as I furrowed my brows in confusion.

_That's not happening._

"I'm giving you the same coveralls that I'm wearing. So you'll be more comfortable." He clarified and everyone visibly relaxed.

"Excuse me." Arturo said timidly to Denver.

_Of course he wants to play the shy man now when literally two minutes ago he was screaming in my face._ I scoffed to myself internally.

"I don't want to bother you but their are folks here with things like heart conditions and ladies who are pregnant. Diabetics and students too. I beg you. Please just let the most vulnerable ones go ahead. I...I don't think they can hold out with the stress all night long."

"Who the fuck do you think you are? Fucking Gandhi?" Denver asked as I chuckled softly.

"No...no." Arturo mumbled nervously.

"Denver relax." Berlin said as he walked over to him. "He's a friend. We share a fondness for movies don't we?"

"Yes...yes we do." Arturo said nervously.

I sighed as I saw Denver take out his gun and hand it to Arturo.

"Take the gun." Denver said as Arturo shook his head violently. "I'm not asking you to take the gun. I'm _ordering_ you to take the gun. So take the gun."

"Please...please." He whimpered as he took the gun.

"Now point it at me." Denver said as Arturo lifted up the gun slowly. "Now shoot me."

"What?" Arturo asked in shock.

_Oh my god I'll fucking do it. Jesus is he that incapable?_

"Can he move this along?" I muttered to myself as I watched Berlin glance down at his watch.

"Shoot me or I'll shoot you." Denver said as he lifted another gun and pointed it at Mr. Román. "You either do it or I'm gonna do it. You have ten seconds."

"Wait...no..." He tried to say but Denver ignored him and started counting.

"One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight!" He screamed as Arturo pulled the trigger nervously but he looked on in confusion when nothing came out.

"AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH."

Berlin smirked in satisfaction as Denver started laughing.

"It's a fake _Arturito_." He explained as he kissed his forehead. "It's a gift take it."

"Alright so as you can see we're going to hand out some fake weapons." Berlin said. "In a few hours we'll be needing your corporation and as you've just witnessed all you have to do is obey us. Just trust what we say and obey us."

_Right._ I thought to myself. _Because you actually think I'm going to obey you?_

"Come on get undressed." Berlin exclaimed when he realized everyone had yet to change into the jumpsuits Helsinki had handed out.

"Now!" Tokyo screamed as everyone began to frantically undress themselves.

"Are you okay?" Nairobi asked as she walked over to me. "How was your meeting with Berlin?"

"It was nothing I can't handle." I said honestly.

"You better get undressed." She said softly when she noticed Berlin walking in our direction.

"Why does he feel the constant need to irritate me?" I asked her with a deep sigh. "Can you please just shoot me?"

"No." She said with a chuckle. "Absolutely not."

"You fucking suck." I grumbled as I watched Berlin stop and stand in front of me.

"Strip for me darling." He said with a wide smirk.

"You want me to strip for you?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." He said emphatically.

"Berlin." Nairobi said in disappointment. "Why do you have to make this harder then it already is for her?"

"Nairobi it's fine." I assured with her a small smile. "If he wants me to strip for him I'll do it."

"Are you sure?" She asked me with concern etched on her face.

"Yes. After all." I said as I turned back towards Berlin. "He's the man in charge right?"

"That's right." He said approvingly. "I'm glad you finally understand how it works in here."

"I'm sure you are." I said sarcastically as I stripped off my grey long sleeve shirt and my red skirt to reveal my grey sports bra and bike shorts.

"Now drop your clothes on the floor." He instructed as I reluctantly complied. "The shorts as well."

"Why?" I asked.

"I'm the man in charge right?" He asked with a wide smirk. "So do it."

"Fine." I gritted out with a fake smile as I pulled them down my legs slowly.

"Berlin she did it." Tokyo snapped as Denver averted his gaze away from me. "Now leave her alone."

"Very well." He said as his eyes noticeably ran up and down my body. "I'll be seeing you soon Paris."

"I don't think so." I said with a smile as I bent down to take off one of my heels and I threw it forcefully at the side of his face.

"Oh fuck." Rio breathed out.

"We were so fucking close to having this go well." Denver muttered.

"Shit!" Tokyo screeched.

"Berlin. You better go check that out. I think something happened to your face." I said innocently as the large red mark on his cheek from the impact of the shoe was starting to become abundantly clear.

"You're going to regret that." Berlin growled as he grabbed my arm and dragged me up the stairs in nothing but my sports bra and panties.

"Let me go!" I screamed. "Berlin!"

"Berlin let her go!" Nairobi shouted.

"Stay out of this Nairobi." Berlin seethed as he pulled me into his office and shut the door with a bang.

"Let me go." I repeated in a monotone voice.

"Are you done with your temper tantrum?" He asked as he struggled to calm himself down.

"Temper tantrum? You forced me to strip as if I'm some prostitute you found on the side of the road. What did you think I was going to do?" I asked as I took a step forward.

Berlin smiled for a moment before he looked at me with a stern expression on his face.

"Paris. You disobeyed me. And quite frankly your attitude is getting out of hand. Rules have to be obeyed and _you_ have to obey me." He said simply.

"You actually think I'm going to obey you?" I asked with a chuckle. "You're fucking hilarious."

"Why do you misbehave so much?" Berlin asked as he slowly walked over to me with his eyes focused on my every move.

"Because you don't own me Berlin." I snapped at him as I stared defiantly into his eyes as he approached my body until he was standing directly in front of me.

I couldn't stand him being that close. It was nauseating to have a man like him in the same room as me let alone in my personal space.

"I don't own you?" He asked softly as he placed his finger under my chin and I fought the urge to whimper.

"You don't own me." I repeated as I watched his eyes travel over my face and down towards my chest.

"You are always so defensive." He stated as more of a fact then a question. "For what reason?"

I ignored him.

"Don't stay silent." Berlin said as he moved his hand up and down my neck and it sent involuntary chills throughout my body. "You always seem to have something to say to me. Why aren't you speaking now?"

_This fucking asshole._ I thought to myself as I tried my best to ignore the goosebumps my body was displaying from his touch.

"You're shivering." He commented.

"I don't need you to act like you care." I snapped as I snatched his hand away from my neck and held his wrist tightly.

"What's wrong?" He asked curiously as he began to push me towards the wall.

I struggled against him as I started to scratch and claw at his face as it slowly inched towards my own.

He stopped his movements with his lips placed only inches away from my own. He looked at me one last time before he brushed his nose against the outer corner of my mouth and before I could comprehend what was happening his lips crashed onto my own.

I buried my hand in his hair and I felt him drop his hands to my ass and rest them there. We both fought for dominance as our tongues wrestled together in a battle that neither of us was willing to lose.

"You said that I don't own you but I can assure you that will change." He breathed out as I shoved him away from me.

_What the hell was I doing?_ I asked myself as I stood there in complete disappointment with my actions. I was a strong woman who didn't need to subject herself to the cruel ways of the man that stood before me. _I needed to get a fucking grip._

"Berlin." I said as I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Bring me back downstairs."

"Why? We were just starting to have fun." He said with a smirk.

"Bring me back downstairs." I repeated.

"Fine." He said as he sighed reluctantly. "But you're not wearing that."

"What do you mean I'm not wearing this?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "I don't have any other clothes _Berlin_."

"You're not wearing that." He said again.

"You dragged me up here in this!" I exclaimed. "Everybody already saw me! Plus why the fuck do you care?!"

"A lady shouldn't be exposed indecently in public." He said simply.

"Well then I guess that's too damn bad that you already forced every "lady" down there to strip in front of everyone." I scoffed. "You're a hypocrite."

"I see your attitude is back." He commented dryly.

"It never left." I shot at him.

"Wear this." He said mutely as he unzipped his jumpsuit to reveal a plain grey tee shirt.

"Wear what?" I asked in confusion.

"This." He said as he stripped off his tee shirt and he zipped back up his jumpsuit. "Put it on."

"And if I don't?" I challenged him.

"Take the shirt." He ordered as I sighed loudly and ripped it from his hands.

"Whatever." I snapped as I pulled the shirt over my head and I was immediately engulfed in his scent.

_Fuck_. I thought to myself as I groaned internally.

"Are you happy now?!" I said harshly as I pulled down the shirt so that it covered my panties.

"Immensely." He said with a smirk as he grabbed my arm and led out of the office.

"I can walk by myself." I reminded him but he just chuckled in response.

_"_ You smell like me." He commented with a wicked grin.

"I know. The smell is going to make me vomit." I said with a fake smile.

"Tell me something _Mrs. Laurent_." He said as he stopped walking and looked down at me. "What do you think your husband would've said about what just happened back there?"

_Mother. Fucker._

"Well I don't really think he would've cared." I answered truthfully but before he could respond my hand crashed against the side of his face and the sound of the smack I delivered him was so loud it echoed in the hallway.

"Don't bring up my husband." I threatened as his eyes went dark with rage. " _Ever_."

"Sore subject?" He asked mockingly.

"You are a bastard." I spat as he resumed dragging me down the hall.

"I trust your discretion regarding what happened between us." He whispered in my ear as we made our way down the steps.

"First of all there is no "us" and second of all I won't breathe a word to another living soul about it." I said lowly. "I wouldn't want anyone to know _you_ touched me."

He seemingly ignored my comment as he roughly pushed me into the line of hostages.

Helsinki shoved a jumpsuit into my hands and I lifted my arms up to slip off the grey tee shirt that laid across my skin but Berlin's dark voice stopped me before I could.

"Don't." He warned me as I rolled my eyes in response.

"Fine." I spit out as I reluctantly complied with his demand.

"Good girl." He said approvingly as I dropped my arms to my side and pushed my legs through the holes in the jumpsuit.

"Here." Nairobi said as she handed me a pair of black socks and a pair of combat boots to match her own.

"Thank you." I said with a small smile as I bent down to put them on.

"Are you okay?" She asked me. "I saw how mad he was."

"I'm fine." I said as I laced up the strings on my boots.

"Are you sure?" Tokyo asked as she walked over to us. "I'll shoot him for you."

"No." I said as I snorted. "There's no need."

"Don't lie to us." She said as the phone began to ring but she ignored it. "He's an asshole and you've been testing his patience all day so we know he didn't let you off easy."

"He didn't do anything." I said as I stood up and watched as Berlin picked up the phone. "I'm serious."

"Really?" Nairobi asked unconvinced.

"Really." I said emphatically.

"Hostages!" Berlin screamed as he slammed the phone back onto the wall with a wide grin on his face. "Now is the time to follow my instructions!"

"Put these masks on!" Rio screamed as Helsinki and Oslo handed them out to each of us along with fake guns that were similar to the one Denver gave Arturo. "And pick up your guns!"

"What are we doing?" I asked Tokyo as she looked at me blankly.

"Scaring off the cops." She said casually as Nairobi giggled in response.

"Sounds fun." I said sarcastically as I put my mask over my face and picked up the gun. "It's too bad that this isn't loaded."

"You know how to shoot?" Nairobi asked in an impressed tone of voice.

I simply hummed in response as I followed them towards the warehouse.

"My father brought me to a shooting range every weekend when I was younger." I explained as they both looked at me incredulously.

"You continue to surprise me." Tokyo said as she looked at me. "You could've been one of us."

"It's too bad I wasn't approached." I said. "I might've said yes."

"Are you serious?" Nairobi asked with a smile.

"I'm afraid that I don't have anything to offer you all though."

"We'll see about that." Tokyo said with a smirk as I looked at her in confusion.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"I'm not sure yet but when I do you'll be the first to know." She said as she winked at me.

"You're a confusing woman." I said with a chuckle.

"I've been told."

"All of you! Stand in a line behind me!" Berlin screamed as we stepped in front of the cargo area of the warehouse. "Now!"

"Good luck." Nairobi said to me as I followed the group of hostages that began to line up behind Berlin.

"Nice try." He said with a smirk as he grabbed my arm and pulled me next to him. "You're standing with me."

"And why is that?" I asked him curiously.

"So I can protect you of course." He responded smoothly.

"How chivalrous of you." I said sarcastically.

"What are you doing up here with us?" Rio asked in confusion as he stepped beside me.

"I wish I knew." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Berlin." Tokyo said as she looked at me. "Why is she here?"

"Stop asking questions." He snapped at them as he pulled his mask over his face. "Everyone aim your guns at the door right now!"

"Helsinki." Denver said as he walked up to us and stood next to Rio. "Do it."

I watched in fascination as Helsinki removed a fabric cloth to reveal a machine gun that was heavily loaded with ammunition.

"What the fuck are you guys doing?" I asked Berlin as I whipped my head at him in shock. "Are you trying to kill everyone here?"

"I thought you didn't care if you died?" He questioned with a smirk.

"I don't care if I die _but_ I do care if all these people die." I said as I gestured to the room full of hostages with their masks on. "They didn't sign up for this!"

"And you did?" He countered as he tilted his head in curiosity.

"No." I scoffed. "Of course I didn't."

"Everyone!" He screamed as he ignored my last comment. "Stand perfectly still with your gun in your hands."

I silently complied with his demand as I slowly lifted my gun and pointed it at the door.

The faint sound of a drill was the only sound that could be heard as we all stared in anticipation at what was to come.

"Don't move." Berlin whispered to me as the tip of the drill poked through the door. "Don't make a sound."

"I got it." I hissed at him as a small camera was placed in the hole and before I could could comprehend what was happening it was pulled out and Oslo rushed over to cover the small opening with a piece of black tape.

"Who was that?" Arturo asked nervously. "Who drilled that hole?"

"The police." Berlin said with a smirk as he ripped off his mask.

"They left us in here?!" He cried out hysterically.

"Indeed they did." Berlin replied. "But you should be thankful."

"And why is that?" I asked as I took off my own mask.

"Because now you've all been given the opportunity to spend more time with us." He said with a wide grin.

_That was the moment that the reality of the situation hit me full force._ _It became abundantly clear to me that I was stuck here and not even the police c_ _ould_ _change that fact._

I was trapped in this hell hole with _Berlin_.


	3. Chapter 3: They'll Take Your Precious Power Away In An Instant.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _6:49 P.M._

_"Because now you've all been given the opportunity to spend more time with us." He said with a wide grin._

"Lucky us." I said sarcastically.

"Tokyo! Rio! Bring the hostages back to the main hall and pass out sleeping bags for them." Berlin instructed as they nodded their heads in compliance.

"Follow us!" Rio shouted.

"Now!" Tokyo screamed as the group of hostages flinched slightly at her tone of voice and began to shuffle out of the warehouse.

"Well it looks like I'll be going then." I said with a chuckle as I attempted to follow them out of the door but Berlin's hand shot out before I could and grabbed my arm roughly.

"What do you want?!" I snapped at him.

"You're not going anywhere." He said with a smirk. "You're staying with me."

"No." I said defiantly.

"No?" He questioned.

"No." I repeated. "I'm not."

"It's humorous to me that you think you have a choice." He said as he chuckled. "Because I can assure you that you don't."

"You want to test out that theory?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.

"You're not going anywhere." He said darkly.

"On the contrary." I said with a smirk as I ripped my arm out of his grasp. "I am."

"I don't think so." He said with a wicked laugh as he regained his grip on my arm and dragged me into the main hall.

"Is this going to become a constant trend of yours?" I asked with a patronizing chuckle. "Dragging me alongside you as if I'm a lost puppy?"

"I suggest you stop with those smart ass remarks." He threatened.

"Or what?" I shot at him.

"I'll punish you." He replied smoothly.

"You'll punish me?" I mocked. "What are you? My daddy?"

He grinned brightly as he turned the corner and walked up the steps with me following closely by his side.

"Do you want me to be?" He asked. "Because if that's your wish then I have to admit I'd have no problem fulfilling it for you."

"I'd rather you torture me." I said in disgust.

"Berlin!" Denver screamed as he walked up to us. "Nairobi needs to speak to you. Now."

"Very well." He said with irritation dripping from his voice as we made our way into the hallway.

"And what are you doing to do with me? Huh? Tie me to a chair in your office?" I asked with a laugh as I shook my head. "Just bring me back down to the others."

"That won't be necessary." He said as he opened the door behind me with a smirk.

"You can't parade me around like a trophy _Berlin_!" I shouted at him. "I'm a human being not an object!"

"You throw a lot of temper tantrums." He commented with a soft chuckle.

"And you have a pole shoved up your ass." I said as I glared at him. "But I guess we all can't be perfect right?"

"Paris...don't fucking provoke him." Denver said as he rolled his eyes. "You won't like what he does."

"I don't recall asking for your color commentary." I said sarcastically.

"Stay in here until I come back for you." Berlin snapped as he shoved me into the main office and closed the door.

"Great." I mumbled as I banged my head against the wall in frustration.

"I apologize for his behavior." A raspy voice called out as I whipped my head around to see an older man sitting at a table in the center of the room.

"And who might you be?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Forgive me." He said politely. "I know we haven't gotten the chance to meet yet. I'm Moscow."

"Moscow?" I questioned with a smirk. "I'm assuming you work with the group?"

"Yes you're correct." He said as he nodded his head.

"Then why haven't I seen you before?" I asked with a chuckle. "Have you been hiding from Berlin and his ridiculous attempt at being a leader?"

"No." He said as he let out a deep laugh. "I've been working in one of the vaults downstairs so I don't get much time off."

"I see." I said as I nodded my head in understanding. "My name is..."

"Paris." He said as he cut me off. "I know who you are. I've heard a lot about you from my son."

"Your son?" I asked in confusion. "You have a son that's here?"

"Denver." He said with a small smile. "He's my son."

"We don't get along very well." I admitted.

"Trust me I know you don't." He said as he chuckled. "My son has told me that you are Berlin's new obsession. Is that true?"

" _New_ obsession?" I asked in amusement.

"Sweetheart." Moscow said. "The man has been married five times. It's not unusual for him to find a woman and fixate all of his attention on her."

"So I guess I'm not special then?" I asked as I wiped a fake tear away from my eye. "That really hurts."

"Sit with me." He said with a smile as he gestured to the empty seat beside him.

"I like you better than Berlin." I commented with a wink as I sat down in the chair.

"I appreciate that." He said as he chuckled. "I hear you're an art appraiser and you have your own wine company?"

"Yes." I said with proudly. "Good art is something I've always been exceptional at spotting. It's easy to tell the vintage pieces from the fake ones but when it comes to my wine business? I worked hard to get that and I think it's safe to say that it is my biggest accomplishment."

"What possessed you to create your own wine?" He asked curiously. "Do you drink it a lot?"

"Yes I drink it often." I said with a grin. "I've loved wine ever since I was a little girl. I first tried it when my father allowed me to take a sip out of his glass and in that moment I fell in love. I feel blessed everyday that I got to create my own wine and that it's done so well in the eyes of the public."

"My dear you seem like a very intelligent woman." He said genuinely.

"Thank you." I said with a small smile. "That's very kind of you to say."

"I should be the one thanking you actually." He said as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"How so?"

"You saved Tokyo and Rio's lives." He said with sincerity in his eyes. "We owe you a huge debt of gratitude for risking your life like that."

"None of you owe me anything." I said as I rolled my eyes playfully. "I've already told Rio that."

"Nonsense." He said as he shook his head and looked at me. "Everybody on the team seems to like you and now I can see the reason why."

"Would you care to share what that reason is?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You're just like us."

"With all due respect." I said. "I'm not a thief so how in the world am I remotely like you all?"

"You're broken my love." He said as he stared at me with sadness etched across his face. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I'm not broken." I said less confidently than I would've hoped.

"You don't have to lie to me." He said softly. "Rio told me."

_Of. Course. He. Fucking. Did._

"So what if I'm broken?" I asked sharply. "That doesn't make me one of you."

"No I guess it doesn't." He said with a frown. "But you do remind me a lot of Berlin."

"You're the second person to tell me that." I groaned. "I'm nothing like him."

"Actually you _are_ a lot like him." Moscow corrected me as he grabbed my hand comfortingly. "You both have similar interests and attitudes."

"I am not a narcissistic asshole." I spat.

"You're both strongly opinionated and neither of you back down from doing what you feel is right." He said. "Everyone thinks you both are one in the same."

"Great." I said dryly. "I'm being compared to the psychopath."

"Unfortunately yes." Moscow said as he let out a small chuckle. "Don't think too much into it. Berlin's not a bad man. He can be very kind."

"I haven't seen a single ounce of that kindness yet." I said bluntly.

"I'm afraid you probably won't see it at all." He said. "He's leading this operation and he won't break his strong character for any of us let alone a hostage...no offense."

"None taken." I said genuinely. "I understand my place in all of this."

"To be honest I don't." He said as I looked at him perplexed.

"What do you mean?"

"Ms. Paris. You seem like a very smart woman but you should've realize by now that you are much different than your fellow colleagues. You are still a hostage _but_ you also helped us by risking your life in front of the police and you willingly took care of Rio after he was shot. Not to mention the fact that you've formed friendships with three of the members here and regardless if it's consensual or not you've become unusually close with Berlin."

"And your point is?"

"My point is that you are no longer just an ordinary hostage like the ones sitting downstairs." He said with a small smile. "And you have to tread carefully before they target you for your loyalty to us."

"Who said that my loyalty lies with you and your team?" I asked curiously.

"My dear...your actions have proved that they do and honestly we could use a woman like you on our side." Moscow said softly. "Berlin will never admit that to you but I have a strong feeling that he thinks the same as me."

"I doubt that." I said as I snorted loudly. "Berlin doesn't think a woman can do anything."

"Well he seems to think you're very capable of doing things." He commented. "Otherwise he wouldn't keep you around as often as he does."

"He'll get bored of me soon enough when he realizes that I will not give into his demands." I said dismissively.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that." Moscow said as he tilted his head at me. "His infatuation with you is very real and I don't think it's just going to disappear."

"Infatuation is nothing more than a childish crush on another human being." I said with a sigh. "He will get over it when he finds another woman that will fall for his useless charms and unbearable views on the world."

"If you say so." He said seemingly unconvinced by my words. "I just want you to be careful."

"Why do you care so much?" I asked him genuinely.

"You seem like a very compassionate woman. I care about the people on my team and I consider you one of us regardless on if you agree with me or not." He explained as the door to the office slammed open abruptly.

"What's this?" Berlin asked as he walked through the entrance way and stared at the two of us.

"I was just getting to know the woman who saved Rio's life." Moscow said.

"Indeed he was and I must say I like this man a lot more than you." I said with a smirk.

"Really?" Berlin asked with a patronizing chuckle. "I must admit that you're sucking up to the wrong members of this team _cariño_."

"Is that so?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." He said with a smirk. "He doesn't have the power to save your life like I do."

" _You_ have the power to save my life?" I asked sarcastically.

"I have the power to save your life." He repeated. "But I also have the power to order your execution. So I suggest you tread carefully."

"Stop threatening the poor girl." Moscow spoke up.

"Moscow shouldn't you be getting back to work?" Berlin snapped at the older man impatiently.

"Yes...I suppose that's my cue to leave." He said with an apologetic smile. "Hopefully I'll see you later."

"I'll make sure you do." I said with a wink as he nodded his head and made his way out of the room.

"You've been making many friends recently." Berlin said casually as he walked over to me and sat down on top of the table.

"I'm a people person." I replied with a shrug.

"I find that very hard to believe." He said as he stared at me with an amused smile threatening to break out onto his lips.

"Quite frantically I don't give a damn."

"Why do you always act so hostile towards me?" He asked. "I've haven't harmed you nor have I done anything to you."

_Is this asshole serious?_

"You haven't done anything to me?" I repeated in complete disbelief. "You're holding me fucking hostage."

"That's a minor detail." He said dismissively.

"No." I said emphatically. "It's a relevant detail."

"It's minor." He argued. "Besides you're the one who's been a pain in my ass since I've arrived here."

"What the hell did you expect me to do when you held me at gun point and shoved your tongue down my throat?! Did you expect me to thank you?!" I shouted.

"You kissed me back." He pointed out with a cocky smirk. "So don't pretend like you didn't enjoy it."

"I didn't." I said said firmly as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"Is that right?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Paris." He said smoothly. "You know what one of the most important things about being a thief is?"

"What?" I sighed.

"You have to know when someone's lying and I can confidently say that you are."

"The fact that you're so sure of yourself makes you significantly more irritating."

"Confidence in oneself shouldn't be frowned upon it should be encouraged."

"Being _confident_ and being _overly confident_ are too separate entities. You...my darling...are overly confident...and that is not a good thing."

"I must admit that I disagree."

"Shocker." I said sarcastically.

"Confidence is one of the most appealing characteristics any man or woman can possess. Wouldn't you agree?" He asked me as he tilted his head in curiosity.

"Yes a man who is confident is in fact appealing. But. A man that is a narcissistic...sexist...disgustingly cocky...and over the top asshole like yourself? That's not appealing nor is it attractive...it's just nauseating."

"I am anything _but_ nauseating."

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" I asked in amusement.

"It's not a joke. It's a fact." He argued.

"Whatever you say _Berlin_." I said as I chuckled softly and stood up from my chair. "Now I would greatly appreciate it if you brought me back down stairs so I can fulfill my role as a prisoner here."

"I told you that you were staying with me." He reminded. "Did you forget that already?"

"No but I wish I could."

"Come on." He said as he grabbed my arm. "I'll bring you to my office and you can sleep there."

"And why is that?" I asked him.

"I'm not answering a stupid question like that one." He said as he sighed.

"Why are you all treating me differently from the rest of the hostages?" I said forcefully. "Why?!"

"We are simply paying back a debt that we owe you."

"What fucking debt?"

"You saved Rio's life. Therefore we owe you. So we've been trying to make this experience a little more bearable for you considering the circumstances." He explained.

"That's not why." I said simply.

"Why else would we be giving you preferential treatment?" He asked in amusement as he dragged me out of the room and into the hallway.

"Because I'm just like you and the rest of the team. You're all _one big happy_ _family_ aren't you?" I asked as Berlin snapped his head in my direction.

"What does that mean?"

"When Moscow was speaking to me earlier he told me a lot of interesting things." I said with a smirk.

"Oh yeah?" Berlin asked as he pushed me into his office and slammed the door shut. "And what exactly did he tell you?"

"Apparently Denver is his son." I said with a grin as his eyes visibly darkened.

"He told you that?" He asked as he tried to keep his composure.

"Yes but don't worry I haven't _just_ spoken to him. I've had conversations with many members of your team." I said with a wink. "Do you want to know what those conversations have helped me realize?"

"I have a feeling you're going to tell me anyway." He said sarcastically.

"There's many personal relationships within your team that could ultimately cost _you_. Moscow is Denver's father. Helsinki seems to be rather close with Oslo and considering they both speak a rare dialect of Russian that very few countries use I'm guessing they're most likely related or they're very close friends. Tokyo and Rio are involved in a romantic relationship. Nairobi seems to have a strong friendship with Tokyo as well." I said with a wicked grin. "Which just leaves you."

"What about me?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You have no one." I said harshly. "Everybody else has connections to at least one other person in your little "gang" and that means that they'd protect that person at all costs. But you? You have nobody to look out for you. Your team is a ticking time bomb _Berlin_. And you're the captain of it all. If you make one wrong decision that they don't agree with then you're fucking gone. They'll destroy you....they'll beat you...and they'll take your precious power away in an instant. You're considerably outnumbered and you may have _Thing 1_ and _Thing 2_ to watch your back now but once you cross the line they will turn on you. And you fucking know it."

"The chain of command is something that everybody on this team respects." He said with a glare. "They wouldn't defy direct orders from their superior."

"Perhaps you are correct." I said as I nodded my head. "They wouldn't disrespect the chain of command."

"Precisely." He said.

"But." I said as he softly groaned in irritation.

"What?!" He snapped.

"Maybe the question isn't if they would deviate from the chain of command." I said with a small grin. "But if they would fuck _you_ over if it meant saving their own lives? You may be the leader but you are also a human being. If they thought of you only as a mere man and not as their leader do you think they'd try and overthrow your reign as king?"

"Of course they would." He said without hesitation. "But I _am_ their leader and although they may not like me. They do like The Professor and they'd never knowingly ruin his plan."

"Would you be willing to bet your life on that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because the way that I see it is that you have no allies in here and you certainly don't have any friends. Everybody on your team either fears you or they are disgusted with you. Meanwhile the rest of your team have established strong connections to others that will undoubtedly come to their rescue if something were to happen. But who would come to your rescue _Berlin_?"

"Nobody." He said simply. "Nobody would come to my rescue and I've made peace with that."

"Really?"

"I've never needed anybody else in my life and I've never asked anyone for help. I certainly won't start now."

"Your pride will be your demise." I commented.

"No _mi reina_ it won't be." He assured me. "It'll be the reason for my reign as king to continue...my pride and my skill set with a gun are the greatest weapons I could ever possess and I fully intend on using them if my team members decide to stage a takeover."

"It's not a question of _if_ they will take you out...it's a question of _when_." I said as I stared at him.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Hitler had all the power that one single man needed to rule the world with but he was defeated because his men realized what a selfish bastard he truly was." I said casually. "It won't be long until your team realizes that very same thing about you."

"Power is only given to those who are capable of doing what's necessary to keep it." Berlin said. "I won't let any of those spoiled children take away what's rightfully mine."

"First of all _don't_ call them spoiled children because some of them have been very kind to me." I snapped at him. "And second of all. How can you claim that the power you hold is rightfully yours?"

"Because it is."

"You're clearly not fit to be a leader." I said with a look of disbelief plastered across my face.

"Why is that?"

"You're too aggressive and too controlling and soon enough you'll fuck everything up."

"Tokyo already did that." He said with a smirk. " _She_ fucked up the plan first."

"Do you always deflect your wrong doings onto other people?" I asked him.

"What wrong doings are you speaking of? I haven't done anything wrong." He said innocently.

"Yet." I said emphatically as I watched him shake his head in amusement and walk towards the desk.

"What are you doing?" I asked him curiously as he opened a drawer and pulled out a blanket.

"I told you that you were sleeping in here." He said as he threw the piece of fabric onto the couch. "So there you go."

"I'm going back downstairs." I said defiantly.

"No you're not." He said as he walked over to me. "You're staying with me."

"I'm going back downstairs." I repeated as I took a step forward so that we stood chest to chest.

"Don't fight with me." He said as he looked down at me with a smirk etched on his face. "You won't like the outcome."

"Oh no?" I challenged him.

"No." He said as he dragged his hand up the curve of my waist.

"Get your hands off of me." I said as I absentmindedly stood there and allowed him to continue touching me.

_What the fuck are you doing? Step away from him you idiot!_

"You're a very brave woman with a very loud mouth yet when you're this close to me you shy away from using it. Why?" He asked me as he leaned his forehead down against my own.

"Berlin!" Nairobi's voice screamed as I jumped away from his body right before she slammed open the door.

"Berlin." She repeated again as she stared at us. "Rio needs you to approve the medication list for the hostages."

"Very well." He said calmly as she turned her attention solely onto me.

"Paris."

"Yes?" I asked as I stared at her in confusion.

"Tokyo and I need your help with something. Come with me." She said as I slowly nodded my head and watched as she made her way into the hallway.

"Okay!" I called out to her as I turned to Berlin and walked closer to his body once again.

" _They will betray you_." I whispered to him as he silently nodded his head and watched as I followed Nairobi into the hallway.


	4. Chapter 4: Truth Or Dare.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _8:51 P.M._

"What were you doing in there with him?" Nairobi questioned as she led me down the hall.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Paris. Don't act like I'm stupid." She said as she looked at me with a sad smile. "I saw how close you both were."

"How close we were?" I snorted. "What are you trying to insinuate?"

"Are you fucking Berlin?" She asked sternly as she stopped walking and stared at me with worry in her eyes.

"No." I said emphatically. "And quite frantically it's insulting that you'd even think I would be."

"I lived with the man for five months before this. I know how he is." She reasoned. "He can break you down until even the most resilient woman like yourself is begging for him."

"And how do you know all of this?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Were you one of those women he's broken down Nairobi?"

"God no." She said exasperated as she shook her head quickly. "I'd never let him touch me."

"Yet you think I would?" I countered in disgust.

"Stop acting like he doesn't have some weird obsession with you." She scoffed as she pushed open a door to a random office and grabbed my hand as she walked in with me following closely behind. "Because he does."

"Are we talking about Berlin?" Tokyo asked with a devious smile. "Your lover?"

"He's _not_ my lover." I said with a dramatic sigh.

"But he wants to be." She said as she raised her eyebrows up and down suggestively.

"Tokyo." I groaned. "Stop."

"Is something going on between you two?" She asked me as she looked at Nairobi for any indication of an answer.

"No. Nothing is going on between Berlin and I." I said as I glared at her. "Now can we just fucking drop it."

"Fine." She huffed.

"Why am I here?" I asked them both in annoyance. "Shouldn't I be downstairs?"

"No." Tokyo snapped. "You're not going back downstairs. It would be like sending you into the lions den."

"I think I can handle the rest of the hostages."

"They hate you."

"Thanks for reminding me." I said sarcastically.

"Don't pay attention to Tokyo. She's on her period." Nairobi said with a large grin as Tokyo scowled. "But considering you're technically one of us now...we thought it'd be fun to have a few drinks together.

"Considering this group is full of men...we never get to hangout with any other women." Tokyo said softly. "It'll be fun."

"I'm not one of you." I clarified. "But if you're going to offer me alcohol I definitely wouldn't decline."

"Great!" Tokyo exclaimed with joy as she grabbed a bottle of wine and tequila from the shelf hanging on the wall.

"Sit here." Nairobi said as she took a blanket and laid it across the floor. "It'll be just like a picnic."

"We have no food nor are we outside." I pointed out as she playfully glared at me.

"That's besides the point." She said with a smile as we sat down on the floor.

"Ladies." Tokyo said as she sat down next to us and tore off the caps of the bottles. "Who wants a sip first?"

"We're going to drink out of the bottles?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes." She replied. "Is that a problem?"

"So just because we're in the middle of a heist means we can't be civilized anymore?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have a wine glass to hand me? Because I'm not going to drink out of the bottle like some wild animal with no class."

"Jesus you're just like Berlin." Tokyo groaned as she shook her head and stood up.

"I could've gotten up." I called out to her as she grabbed a wine glass from the cabinet and walked back over to us.

"Thanks." I said with a smirk as she shoved it into my lap.

"Whatever." She grumbled as she reclaimed her seat on the ground.

"So." Nairobi said as she swiped the glass from my lap. "What do you each want? Tequila or Wine?"

"Wine." I said as if it wasn't even a question. "I don't drink anything else."

"Of course." Tokyo said as she snorted. "You have your own wine company so I guess it makes sense you only drink it."

"Here." Nairobi said as she filled up my glass with the dark red liquid and handed it back to me.

"Thanks." I said with a small smile as I took a sip.

"Let's play a game!" Tokyo exclaimed. "It'll be fun."

"What game?" I asked skeptically.

"Truth or Dare." She said with a smirk.

"Truth or Dare?" I asked with a chuckle. "What are we? Six?"

"Shut up it'll be fun." Nairobi said as she drank from the bottle of tequila. "I'm in."

"I guess I'll do it." I sighed.

"After each turn we have to take a shot of tequila or wine." Tokyo said as Nairobi and I nodded our heads.

"I'll go first." Nairobi said with a grin.

"Truth or Dare?" Tokyo asked her.

"Truth."

"Which member of the team would you fuck?" Tokyo asked as I snickered.

"The Professor." She said as Tokyo's face visibly dropped.

"Really?" She asked unamused as she took a sip from the bottle. "Out of everyone you could've chosen you picked him?"

"I don't care what you say. He's hot." Nairobi defended as I bursted out laughing in response.

"It's your turn to drink bitch." Tokyo said playfully as she handed Nairobi the bottle and watched as she downed a gulp of tequila.

"Tokyo it's your turn." I said as I took a large sip of my wine. "Truth or Dare my darling?"

"Truth." She said with a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes.

"Why would you choose to date Rio out of every man on your team?" I asked her curiously.

"Because he's one of the most the sweetest...most sensitive...and most loving men I've ever met in my life." She answered genuinely. "I really care about him."

"That's so sweet." Nairobi squealed as they took their respective shots.

"Fuck it." I said with a grin as I put down my glass and picked up the wine bottle that sat on the floor. I lifted it up to my mouth and I gulped down almost half of the bottle.

"Holy shit. I guess that's the type of night we're going to have then." Tokyo said with a wink as she picked up the bottle of tequila and copied my actions from moments ago.

"It's your turn Paris!" Nairobi exclaimed. "Truth or Dare?"

"Truth."

"What happened with your husband?" She asked curiously as my breath slightly hitched. "Rio was telling us that something awful happened but he refused to go into detail."

"Are you okay?" Tokyo asked in concern.

"I'm fine...it's just that...uh...that part of my life is still hard to talk about...but...it's fine." I said as I looked at them both. "I loved my husband very much. I loved him enough that I would do almost anything for him."

"My husband always told me that the one regret he ever had growing up was not getting the chance to meet his biological parents." I said with a small smile. "So I thought it would be a wonderful idea to hire a private investigator to look for them."

"Did the private investigator find them?" Nairobi asked softly.

"No...no he didn't...but he did find something else."

"What?" Tokyo asked.

"My husband had a second life. He had another wife whom he had married around the same time he married me and he had two gorgeous children with her." I said with a sad chuckle. "It's funny isn't it? How ridiculous it all sounds? It's as if it were a story somebody wrote...but unfortunately for me...it's not a story...it's my reality...and I have to live with the fact that my husband deceived me for almost six years of my life...and I had no fucking clue."

"Paris I'm sorry." Nairobi said as she grabbed my hand comfortingly.

"He's a pig." Tokyo said loudly. "And he's disgusting."

"I couldn't agree more." I said as I reached over and took a large sip out of the wine bottle and my vision began to get fuzzy.

"Nairobi." Tokyo said as she finished swallowing a sip of tequila. "It's your turn. Truth or Dare?"

"Dare." She said with a chuckle. "I'll live on the edge."

"I dare you too sing for us."

"You want me to sing for you both?" Nairobi asked with a chuckle.

"Indeed." Tokyo said.

"Sing for us _mi querida_." I said with a smirk.

"Alright." She said as she took a swig of tequila and stood up with a large smile on her face.

_"Tú que eres tan guapa y tan lista._ " She sang as my face instantly lit up with recognition of the song.

" _Tú que te mereces._ " She continued as Tokyo and I clapped along to the beat in which she was singing.

_"Un príncipe, un dentista, ¡tú!_ " Tokyo sang with her.

" _Te quedas a mi lado._ " I voiced out as I stood up and continued clapping.

" _Y el mundo me parece._ " Nairobi said.

" _Más amable._ " Tokyo added.

" _Más humano._ " I sang.

" _Menos raro._ " We sang together as we all bursted out laughing and sat back down.

"You're a cool chick Paris." Nairobi said with a look of appreciation on her face.

"I know." I said with a wink as we all giggled.

"Tokyo." I cooed as we all took yet another sip out of the bottles placed in front of us. "It's your turn."

"Truth or Dare?" I asked her with a grin.

"Truth." She said.

"Boring." Nairobi groaned.

"Why did you tell The Professor that Rio and you aren't together?" I asked her.

"We weren't supposed to have personal relationships within the group." Tokyo said with a sad shrug. "I fucked up and I fell for him. If The Professor were to find out he'd make sure there was hell to pay and I don't want him to get hurt."

"Rio doesn't seem like the type of guy to care if there's consequences from being with you. He genuinely cares about you." I said to her with a small smile as she nodded her head at me.

"I wish that I had met him after all of this was over." She said as a tear escaped from her eye. "Maybe then things would be different."

"We can't choose when we fall in love." I said to her as I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Rio and you meeting? That wasn't a coincidence. It was destiny _my love_."

"Paris is right." Nairobi said as she nodded her head. "Rio and you have a love story that's going to transcend time. You have to believe that."

"Sometimes I do." Tokyo said softly. "But I'm just scared that he's going to die because of my stupid decisions. He already got shot because he was trying to save me."

"Well if he gets shot again then come and get me and I'll help." I said with a wink as they both chuckled. "I'm a wonderful nurse."

"You really are." Tokyo said with a smile as we all took a sip of our drinks again.

"Truth or Dare?" Nairobi asked as she looked at me.

"Dare." I said with a smirk as I felt the alcohol taking affect.

"I dare you..." She said as she stared at me with a devilish look on her face. "To kiss Berlin."

"For ten seconds." Tokyo added as her voice began to slur.

"No way." I said as I chuckled. "I'm not doing it."

"Why not?" Nairobi complained.

"Don't be a pussy." Tokyo shot at me.

"Come on!" Nairobi pleaded. "You said you'd play!"

"Fine!" I shouted. "I'll do it."

"Go to his office then." Tokyo exclaimed as she stood up and ushered me out of the room.

"I don't even know if he's there." I tried to say. "He might not even be in his office."

"Go find out." Nairobi said. "We'll go with you just to make sure you actually do it."

"Stop treating me like a child." I snapped as I swayed from the effect the alcohol was having on my body. "I said I'd do it so I will."

"Let's go." Tokyo said with a grin as she grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to Berlin's office.

"This is such a childish game." I mumbled as I stopped in front of the door.

"Knock." She demanded as I sighed and banged my fist against the door.

"Berlin!" I shouted. "It's Paris. May I come in?"

"Watch this asshole say no." Tokyo grumbled as Nairobi chuckled.

_Please say no. Please say no. Please say no._

I groaned loudly when I faintly heard his voice through the door telling me it was okay to walk in.

"Enjoy yourself." Nairobi said as she winked at me and opened the door knob while simultaneously pushing me into the room.

_Why did I agree to do this again?_

I took a deep breath as I looked around the room and spotted Berlin sitting at his desk with a glass of wine placed in front of him.

"Paris." He said with a smirk. "What a lovely surprise. What can I do for you?"

"I need a favor." I said.

"A favor?" He asked curiously as I nodded my head. "What do you want?"

"Well." I said as I walked over to him so that I was standing right in front of his chair. "I want you to kiss me."

"You want me to kiss you?" He repeated with a smirk.

I simply hummed as I threw my legs over his own and sat down on his lap.

"Don't start something you can't finish." He warned. "Especially if you don't actually want it."

"Who says I can't finish it?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. "Or that I don't want it."

"Do you?" He asked as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Do I what?" I asked.

"Do you want it?" He repeated as I nodded my head.

"Use your words." He commanded as he brushed his hand against my cheek. "I love when a woman communicates what she wants."

"I want you to kiss me." I said as his eyes went dark and he smashed his lips onto my own in the span of a second.

I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck as his tongue licked my lips and I allowed him entrance into my mouth.

His hand made its way to the back of my neck and I softly moaned at the dominance he was displaying.

_Ten seconds. Ten seconds. Ten seconds._

My brain kept repeating to me but I couldn't even concentrate on counting.

I moaned again when he slipped his other hand down my backside and squeezed my ass.

"Say my name." He whispered as he pulled his mouth away from my lips and positioned it at the curve of my neck.

"Fuck." I breathed out as he began to kiss my neck.

"Say my name." He repeated.

"Berlin." I moaned out as he bit down on my neck harshly and in that moment I knew it would leave a mark.

_Just_ when I thought I was going to give in to the man sitting before me a loud voice interrupted us.

"No! Tokyo! Stop!" Nairobi exclaimed. "Leave them alone!"

"I want to see." She whined with a slight slur evident in her speech.

_Those fucking idiots._

I pulled away from Berlin as I stared at his amused expression on his face.

"Was there a field trip to my office happening that I didn't know about?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Very funny." I said as I rolled my eyes and quickly got off his lap. "I have to go."

"Very well." He said with a grin. "As always Paris it was a pleasure. Stop by again soon. Perhaps then we will finish what was so rudely interrupted just now."

"Highly doubt it." I said as I rushed out of his office and closed the door behind me.

"You guys are idiots." I hissed as I stumbled over to them. "Let's go."

"Fine." Tokyo huffed as she walked back to the office we had occupied before.

"How was it?" Nairobi asked with a grin as we walked through the door.

"We heard her moaning from the hallway." Tokyo said. "I think we already know the answer to that question."

"Whatever." Nairobi said as she took a large gulp of tequila.

"Hand me the wine." I said to Tokyo as she nodded her head and bent down to pick it up.

"Here." She said as she began to walk over with it but she tripped over her own two feet and the wine splashed out of the bottle and landed directly on my chest.

"Oh my god." Nairobi said as she bursted out laughing.

"I'm sorry." Tokyo said as she picked up the bottle from the ground.

"It's fine." I said with a sigh as I looked down at my jumpsuit that was completely drenched in the familiar red liquid.

"Just take off your coveralls and we'll get you a new jumpsuit later." Nairobi said as I nodded my head and stripped off my suit but I immediately realized Berlin's shirt he had given me was also soaked.

"Fuck." I muttered as I took that off too and I stood in my sports bra.

"Jesus." Tokyo said as she stared at me. "I really got you good didn't I?"

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"Look down." Nairobi said with a chuckle.

"Okay." I said as I looked down and realized my bra was stained a deep red as well.

"Great." I said in irritation as I looked around the room for any spare clothes.

"Here." Tokyo said as she walked over to one of the cabinets that were placed in the corner of the room and opened the door to reveal boxes of clothes. "We keep extra bras and panties in here just incase one of us needs a new set because of bleeding."

"Take this." She said as she threw a nude pair of panties and a matching bra at me. "That should fit you."

"Thanks." I said as I stripped off my remaining clothes and changed into the new set of undergarments.

"Hey Tokyo!" Nairobi called out. "Throw me some!"

"You're changing too?" I questioned.

"Might as well." She said as she shrugged and began to undress.

"I guess I will too." Tokyo said as she grinned and pulled out a black bra and matching underwear.

"We look like hookers." I said with a chuckle as we all stood there half naked.

"Denver's going to kill us." Nairobi commented with a giggle. "He hates when we drink."

"Fuck him." I said with an unapologetic shrug.

"You don't like Denver?" She asked.

"He doesn't like me." I said as I held back a yawn. "So I don't like him."

"I'm tired." Tokyo whined.

"Then go to sleep." Nairobi suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea." I said as I laid my head down against the floor and I quickly felt myself slipping into unconscious.

I laid there for what felt like days as I allowed the darkness to consume my body but it quickly came to a halt as an unfamiliar noise began to wake me.

I began to stir as the voices in the room became louder.

"So this is where they went?" Rio asked in amusement.

"They're so fucking annoying." Denver grumbled. "While we're working our asses off they're in here half naked and getting drunk with a hostage. How is that even remotely fair?"

"Denver. Relax." Berlin said with a smirk etched across his face. "They're women. What do you expect?"

Nairobi groaned loudly as her hand swatted against my side.

"Fuck off." I said softly as I pushed her hand away.

" _Great_." Denver said sarcastically. "They're hungover."

"Ah." Berlin said with a chuckle. "The princesses have awaken."

"My head hurts." Tokyo whined as Rio let out a small laugh.

"I can't move." Nairobi said as she struggled to sit up but failed miserably.

"What the hell am I wearing?" I said out loud as I lifted my head and looked down at my body.

I sighed deeply when I realized I was wearing nothing but a nude bra and panties.

"That's not good." I whined as I flopped my head back down against the floor. "Where are my clothes?"

"I have no idea _mi reina._ " Berlin said as he shook his head in amusement.

"Can someone help me up!" Nairobi exclaimed.

"Boys. Shall we help the ladies up?" Rio asked as with a small smile.

"Indeed we shall." Berlin said as he bent down to pick me up in his arms.

"Don't move too fast." I said softly as I wrapped my arms around him and dug my face into the crook of his neck to try and shield my eyes from the light.

" _Shush mi cariño_." He said as he placed his hands under my thighs to keep me in the air.

"When did you get here?" Tokyo asked Rio as he held her up against his body.

"We've been here." He said as he stroked her hair softly.

"Shit." Nairobi exclaimed as Denver picked her up bridal style. "Our knight and shining armors have appeared."

" _Jesus_." Denver said as he shook his head in disbelief. "You're fucked up."

"That's not nice." Tokyo said as she giggled.

"Oh my god." Rio said as he looked up at the ceiling in irritation.

"Bring Tokyo and Nairobi to the main office and give them each some pills and a cup of coffee." Berlin snapped at Denver and Rio. "They need to be capable of working in an hour."

"An hour?" Denver asked skeptically. "You think they'll be ready to hold a gun and patrol this place in an hour?"

"You better hope for their sakes that they will be." Berlin said. "Don't forget we have a call with The Professor in thirty minutes. Everyone has to be present so he can tell us about the new developments in the plan. Is that understood?"

"Understood." Rio and Denver mumbled as they dragged Tokyo and Nairobi out of the room.

"Where are you going to put me when you have your meeting?" I whined into his neck. "Don't bring me back downstairs yet. My headache hurts like a bitch and I can't take their constant complaining right now."

"Don't worry." He said with a chuckle. "You'll be with us during the call."

"What?" I asked as I lifted my head and looked into his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"The Professor is eagerly anticipating the moment he gets to be formally introduced to the woman who has stolen the hearts of almost everybody on his team. Plus..." Berlin said with a smirk. " _He has a business proposition for you._ "


	5. Chapter 5: You're A Monster.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _9:34 A.M._

"What do you mean he has a business proposition for me?" I asked Berlin as he carried me into his office and closed the door.

"The Professor will explain everything to you soon enough." He said as he placed me on the couch and moved towards his desk.

"Why can't you just tell me now?" I snapped but the throbbing pain in my head caused me to groan out.

"Perhaps you shouldn't raise your voice considering you drank a months worth of alcohol last night." He said with a wicked grin.

"I don't even remember how I ended up asleep in there." I said with a sigh. "Or how I ended up half naked."

"Unfortunately when you came to see me last night you were fully clothed." He said nonchalantly.

_What?_

"What do you mean when I came to see you last night?" I asked as I snapped my eyes to him.

"You don't remember?" He asked curiously.

"If I had I wouldn't be asking you right now." I said sarcastically. "Now would I?"

"I suppose not." He replied with a grin.

"Considering you don't remember what happened allow me to fill you in." He said. "You came here and asked me for a favor."

"A favor?" I questioned.

"Yes." He said as it all came rushing back to me.

_Tokyo...Nairobi...Truth or Dare...The Alcohol...Berlin...The Kiss..._

"I kissed you." I said visibly mortified with my actions.

"Indeed you did." He said with a chuckle. "And if I had my way we would've done a lot more than just that but unfortunately Tokyo and Nairobi interrupted us."

"Thank god." I breathed out in relief but a glimmer of something silver caught my attention.

It was a small letter opener that sat in between the couch cushions.

_A. Weapon._

"I must say it was quite odd that they were standing right outside my door. Do you know why they were there?" He asked with a smirk.

"They dared me to kiss you and they wanted to make sure I'd go through with it." I explained as I avoided eye contact with him.

"So you only kissed me because it was a dare?" He asked clearly unconvinced.

"Yes." I said confidently.

"I don't believe you."

"Shocker." I said sarcastically.

"Was stripping for them another dare?" He asked me as he walked over to a card board box and pulled out a new red jumpsuit wrapped in plastic.

_Now._ I said to myself and as his back was turned I quickly grabbed the small letter opener and slipped it into the cup of my bra.

"Tokyo spilled wine all over my original coveralls." I said with a sigh.

"Here." He said as he unpackaged the cheap piece of clothing and held it out to me.

"Thanks." I said dismissively as I snatched the jumpsuit from his hands and slipped my legs into it quickly.

"You need a shirt." He commented as he unzipped his jumpsuit just enough so that he could mimic his actions from yesterday.

I watched as he stripped off his grey undershirt and handed it to me as he zipped back up his coveralls.

"Put it on." He instructed.

"You didn't need to give me your shirt again." I mumbled but I still complied with his demand anyway.

"Well I can't have you walking around half naked now can I?" He asked with a wink.

"Berlin." I said sternly as the scent of his familiar cologne hit me full force. "Don't make this more uncomfortable than it already is."

"You're the one who propositioned me last night." He said with an amused chuckle. "It wasn't the other way around."

"It was a dare." I groaned.

He simply hummed in response as I stood up.

"Can we just get this call over with already?" I said impatiently.

"Someone's eager." He said as he reopened the door to his office and gestured for me to walk out.

"I want to know why The Professor wants to meet with me." I snapped at him as he chuckled at my attitude.

"Come with me then." He said as he led me to the main office where Moscow and the Serbian Twins sat.

"Hello my dear friend." I said to Moscow with a smile as he gave me a brief hug.

"It's lovely to see you again Ms. Paris." He said with a grin.

" _Thing 1_." I said as I nodded towards Helsinki.

" _Thing 2_." I said curtly to Oslo.

"What did she just call us?" Helsinki asked with a laugh.

"I already like her." Oslo said with a smirk.

"Where's everyone else?" Berlin snapped.

"We're right here." Tokyo said as she slowly  
walked through the door with Nairobi stumbling slightly next to her as Denver and Rio cautiously followed behind them.

"Great." Moscow said as his tone softened. "That makes nine."

"I'll call The Professor." Berlin said as he made his way over to the phone and pressed a button on the switchboard.

"This hangover sucks." Nairobi groaned as she shook her head.

"I bet." I said with a grin. "You drank the most out of all of us."

"Don't remind me." She whined.

"Professor." Berlin said in elation as I turned my head and noticed that he pressed yet another button on the switchboard.

"Can everyone hear me?" The man asked from over the phone.

"Yes." Rio shouted out.

"Well in that case let's get started shall we?" Berlin said as he gestured to me.

"Professor this is Paris." He said as he introduced me to the voice. "She is our favorite hostage and she is very intrigued to hear what you have to say."

"It is wonderful to meet you Paris." The Professor's voice said through the phone as I stared into the camera above.

"Likewise." I replied with a smirk.

"Berlin has informed me that you've been a tremendous help to my team." He said as the speaker phone grew louder thanks to Denver hitting the volume button. "You've formed friendships with Tokyo, Rio, Nairobi, Moscow, and Berlin-"

"Berlin and I don't have a friendship." I said as I cut him off. "It's more of a relationship based off of mutual hate."

"Or perhaps attraction." Berlin called out with a smirk.

"No." I said emphatically. "I think it's based off of the disgust I have for you."

"You weren't saying that last night." He countered as I rolled my eyes.

"I already explained to you that it was a dare." I retorted.

"You could've said no."

"Actually I couldn't have said no."

"Because you didn't want too." He said smoothly.

"Regardless of that." The Professor interjected. "You willingly risked your own life to save Rio's and Tokyo's."

"I've already told your team countless times to stop bringing that up." I groaned. "It's not a big deal."

"On the contrary Ms. Laurent." The Professor said. "It _is_ a big deal."

"Which is why I have a business proposal to share with you." He added.

"Which is?" I asked with raised eyebrow.

"I'd like you to join us." He simply stated.

_What?_

"You want _me_ to join _you_?" I asked as I let out an amused snort.

"Well...yes." He said nervously.

"Why?" I asked incredulously.

"Both Tokyo and Berlin have advocated for you on your behalf." He explained. "And from what they've told me you could prove useful for our team."

"What could I possibly offer you?"

"You were a nurse is that correct?" He asked.

"Yes that's correct." I said as I nodded my head. "In my early twenties I worked in the trauma unit."

"That's great." He said with enthusiasm. "I taught the basics of human anatomy to my team but having a trained trauma nurse on our side would be more helpful.

"Is that all you need me for?" I asked. "Because if so then I don't understand why you'd offer me a position on your team if I've already proved I would help you regardless of anything that happens."

"You are one of the hostages." The Professor said simply. "That is another key detail of how you will prove very useful to us."

"How is it helpful that I'm a hostage? Do you want me to spy on them?" I asked with a laugh.

"Yes...actually...that's exactly what I want you to do." He stuttered.

"Let me get this straight." Denver said as he looked at me with pure rage etched across his face. "You're offering this bitch a job?!"

"What did you just call me?" I asked him menacingly.

"I just called you a bitch." He said with a chuckle. "Why?"

"Denver I suggest you don't insult Paris again otherwise I'll make sure that the next time you try and speak you won't have a tongue." Berlin said as he glared at the younger man.

"I don't need you to defend me." I snapped at Berlin as he held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Guys!" The Professor exclaimed impatiently. "I have to ask Paris a few questions before she accepts my offer so if you would be kind enough to stop arguing for five seconds that would be wonderful."

"Sorry Professor." Denver muttered as Berlin stayed silent.

_Of course he wouldn't apologize._ I scoffed inwardly to myself.

"Your full name is Paris Anastasia Laurent. Correct?" The Professor asked me as I turned my head to face the camera once again.

"Yes." I said as Nairobi cooed at the classiness of my name.

"It sounds like something out of a movie!" She squealed. "I love it!"

"Is it true that you were born in Paris but your parents sent you to London when you were only sixteen years old and then you moved to Berlin when you turned eighteen." The Professor asked while seemingly ignoring Nairobi's comment.

"That's true." I confirmed with a nod. "Berlin was always a city that spoke to me."

"It's not just the city that seems to speak to you." Tokyo muttered with a suggestive smile.

"Tokyo." I said warningly as she chuckled.

"The rest of these questions...are uh...are very personal...would you like me to send the rest of the group out of the room as we finish?" The Professor asked.

"No." I said as I shook my head. "They can stay. I have nothing to hide."

"Very well." He said nervously.

"Is it also true that while you were in London you worked as a prostitute?" He asked as Rio looked at me with pity etched across his face.

"Yes that's true." I said. "I was broke and I had no other way to survive."

"You now own a wine company and you are one of the most respected art appraisers in the world. Is it safe to say that most high end business owners know who you are?"

"Yes." I said confidently. "It's safe to say that."

"You are currently married but you're in the process of obtaining a divorce. Do you have any ties to your husband that could cost this team in any way?"

"No." I said emphatically.

"And you have a daughter right?" He asked as Berlin looked down at me incredulously.

"Yes I do have a daughter." I confirmed with a smile. "Alexandria Laurent. She's five years old."

"A very cute age." Nairobi commented.

"What will happen to her if I do decide to join you?" I asked. "I won't leave her behind."

"I looked into your daughter's whereabouts...and...uh...your husband left her with your mother." The Professor said with a sigh.

"What?!" I breathed out in shock. "What do you mean he left her with my mother?!"

"I'm sorry." He said apologetically. "That's all I know."

"I need to get her." I said as I turned my head towards Berlin. "You need to let me out."

"Nobody is leaving." Denver stated sternly.

"Paris." The Professor said quickly. "If you agree to work with us that would make you one of our own which means I will then do everything in my power to get your daughter and bring her to you."

"You want to bring her inside of the mint?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes. That way when we make our escape you can bring her with us."

"But we'll be fugitives!" I exclaimed. "I worked hard to build a life that my daughter and I could be proud of. Joining you guys would mean that my daughters life and my career is over."

"But if you choose to come with us then you'd have a lifetime's worth of money so that you'd never have to worry about working ever again." Rio said.

"I can't uproot my daughters life." I said sternly. "I _won't_ uproot her life."

"Then you're going to have to wait until my team is finished inside of there before you can see your daughter again." The Professor said.

"Is that right?" I asked him with a wicked smile.

"Oh fuck." Tokyo groaned. "Professor you have no idea what you're in for now that you've provoked her."

"What do you mean?" He asked in confusion.

"Listen." I said with a smirk. "If you're trying to push me into a corner so that I'm forced to agree to your absurd deal then you've clearly failed to do your research when it comes to me."

"I'm a woman who knows what she wants. I'm a woman who won't roll over for anybody because I'm _not_ a fucking dog." I said harshly. "You might be used to all these idiots listening to whatever you say and treating you like you're an angel from heaven that was sent down to guide them but guess what?"

"I won't treat you as if you're better then me because you're not and don't you dare make false promises that you can't keep when it comes to my daughter because I know for a fact that there's no way you'll be able to get her to Madrid without the police finding out."

"I'm one of the most intelligent people in this room. I worked for everything I have rather then stealing it all and I sure as hell didn't cheat the system." I said with an unapologetic shrug.

"I'm going to do whatever the fuck I want and going foreword I don't want to hear a single comment from you about how I'm stuck in here without my child." I spat. "Because if you do talk about my baby girl again then I will find you."

"Once I do find you I'm more than capable of killing you...I give you my word." I said with a wink. "And my word is my bond."

"I suggest you don't threaten The Professor again." Denver said as he walked up to me. "Otherwise I might be forced to take it upon myself to make sure you aren't capable of killing him."

"Oh really?" I asked with a patronizing laugh. "Please tell me what you're going to do? Are you going to shoot me? Because by all means... _do it._ "

"You have a daughter yet you're so willing to die." Denver spat. "What type of shit mother are you?"

"Denver." Nairobi said warningly. "Stop talking."

"No!" He exclaimed in frustration. "She's basically commiting suicide even though she has a kid who depends on her! That's fucked up on every possible level! You don't even deserve to have a child!"

Everyone stared at me blankly as they anticipated my next move.

"Denver." I said as I chuckled in amusement but that look quickly vanished from my face once I reached into my jumpsuit and took out the small letter opener I had stolen from Berlin's office.

Time had gone by in an instant and only mere seconds later I had maneuvered myself behind Denver as I held the knife up to his throat forcefully.

"Care to repeat what you just said again?" I asked him harshly.

"Paris." Moscow begged. "Let my son go."

"Drop the knife." Rio said hesitantly.

"No." Berlin snapped as he stared at me in awe. "Let her continue."

"Are you crazy?!" Moscow shouted in disbelief.

"Moscow." I said as he snapped his head to look at me wearily. "I truly do adore you. But. Your son has pushed me beyond my limit so now I'm going to make a few things clear to him."

"Is that understood?" I said to the group as everyone except Berlin silently nodded their heads in nervousness.

"The act of torture has been carried out by individuals throughout history from ancient times to modern day." I informed the man standing in front of me as I dug the knife deeper against the soft flesh of his neck. "Forms of torture can vary greatly in the duration from only a few minutes to several days or longer."

"Hypothetically I could continuously stab the right side of your abdomen with so much force that you'd be crying out in pain." I said as I traced my hand down his side to showcase where I could harm him. "Or I could stab you right between your neck and your shoulder blade so that you slowly start to become paralyzed."

"Wouldn't that be so devastating? I asked mockingly. "And then after I have my way with you I'll stitch you up...almost like nothing ever happened."

"Doesn't that sound fun?" I asked with a crazy grin.

"And although I told your colleagues that I didn't want to see anyone get hurt." I pointed out. "When it comes to my daughter all bets are off."

"So in saying that I think it would be a wise choice for you to shut your mouth and do as you're fucking told. Is that clear?"

"Clear." He choked out as the knife against his throat began to block off his airway.

"Great." I said with a fake smile as I pushed him away from my body and towards his father.

"Psycho freak." Denver muttered out as I ignored him.

"That was fantastic _mi reina_." Berlin said with a smirk as he walked closer to me.

"Berlin." The Professor said breathlessly. "Perhaps you should've informed me of her temper before you began to advocate so aggressively for her to join us."

"Her temper is nothing I can't handle." He said dismissively as he stood inches away from my body.

_Right._ I said to myself as I chuckled inwardly.

"Paris." Tokyo said as she looked at me with a soft smile. "Are you with us?"

"Or are you against us?" Helsinki finished for her.

I stood there in silence as I contemplated my choices.

_Alliance or Betrayal?_

I've already formed a friendship with Tokyo, Nairobi, and Rio.

I genuinely liked them so working with them wouldn't be an issue.

And never having to work a day in my life again sounded like a wonderful option but the fact of the matter was that my daughter wasn't with me right now.

That fact alone posed a problem.

"If I do agree to work with you then I need your word that you _will_ bring my daughter here safely." I said as I stared up at the camera.

"Paris. I give you my word that I will." The Professor assured me.

"And what exactly do you need me to do?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You are going to be treated like all of the other hostages from this point foreword." He explained. "Continue to rebel against Berlin and make yourself look like a hero. You need to gain their trust so if any of them plan to escape or try to contact the police you'll know which means _we_ will know."

"I'd be considered a snitch." I commented.

"No _mi reina_." Berlin said. "A snitch is someone who betrays those who they are loyal too. But you? Well you haven't picked a side yet."

_He's got a point._ I thought to myself.

"Professor." I said with a smirk. "You've got yourself a deal."

"Yes!" Nairobi screamed out.

"Fuck yeah!" Rio said with enthusiasm as Tokyo walked up towards me and engulfed my body in a bone crushing hug.

"Berlin." The Professor said through the phone. "Make sure everyone returns back to their post and once you do that show Paris around the building and explain the plan to her. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Berlin replied with a smirk as Tokyo pulled away from me. "I'll make sure she stays right by my side while I explain every last detail to her."

_Great._

"I'll talk to you later for our check up call." The Professor said as he hung up the phone and the line went dead.

"Denver hand out the requested medications to the hostages that need them. Everyone else go back to your posts." Berlin ordered as they all filed out of the room silently.

"I'm one of you now." I said with a chuckle. "That must be a terrible thought for you."

"Actually." He said with a smirk. "It's a wonderful thought."

"And why is that?"

"Because now?" He asked mockingly. " _I own you_."

"We'll see about that." I snorted.

"I suppose we will." He said as he led me out of the office and towards the stairs.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked him suspiciously as he brought me up the stairs and into an unfamiliar hallway.

"I'm showing you were all the magic happens." He said with a grin as he gestured to the gigantic press that was currently printing thousands of dollars by the second.

"Oh my god." I breathed out in fascination as I watched the hostages frantically scurry around.

"Yes! That's right!" Nairobi screamed into the megaphone encouragingly. "Allow yourself to become one with the press! You are giving it life! Because you are the fucking boss! Remember that!"

"It's amazing isn't it?" Berlin whispered in my ear as I nodded my head silently.

"It's astonishing." I said softly as I allowed the machines to captivate me.

"Nairobi!" Berlin shouted as she turned her attention onto us. "Come over here."

"Paris!" She exclaimed in excitement. "Welcome to my humble abode!"

"Nairobi this is beautiful." I said with a large smile. "You really did all of this?"

"No." She said as she let out a loud laugh. "The machines do all the work. I just make technical corrections along the way."

"This couldn't be happening without you." I said as I grabbed her hand and gave it a small squeeze. "You are essential to this process."

"This is why I love you." She said as she gripped my hand tighter. "We needed someone like you on our team."

"Then it's great that I'm one of you now." I said with a wink.

"Nairobi." Berlin said as he pulled me alongside him. "The chit chat is over. Get back to work."

"I'm sorry." I said to her sarcastically. "My owner seems to have shortened my leash so I'm guessing it's time for him to put me back into my crate."

"Paris you are something else." She said with an amused snort as Berlin forcefully pulled me along.

"I'll talk to you once I incapacitate him!" I called out to her as she shook her head and laughed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Berlin asked calmly as he dragged me towards the balcony that overlooked one of the many hallways the mint had.

"I suppose you're upset with me yet again." I said as I rolled my eyes.

He didn't say anything. Which was odd for a man like Berlin. He _always_ had a witty comeback or a sarcastic statement ready but he stared absentmindedly at something behind me.

"What is it?" I asked as I furrowed my eyebrows and turned my head to follow his gaze to see a man that looked remarkably like Denver hand something to an unrecognizable woman.

"Tell me something _mi reina_." Berlin said. "What is Denver doing?"

"I don't know." I said as I observed the scene in front of me.

"Denver?" He called out as he grasped my arm and we walked over to them. "What are you doing?"

"I...uh...I was just giving Mónica the abortion pill." Denver explained.

"You're pregnant?" I asked in astonishment as she silently nodded her head yes.

"Does she need you to put it in her mouth with some water too?" Berlin asked Denver sarcastically.

"No. No she's okay." Denver replied. "Right?"

"Yeah...yeah." The woman said nervously.

"Very well." Berlin said as he looked at her with a blank stare. "Go back with the others."

"Oh...okay." She said as she turned to look at Denver one last time before beginning to walk away but a chime from a phone stopped everyone in their tracks.

_She's. Really. Fucking. Dumb._

I watched in utter silence as Berlin's mouth curved upward into a smirk.

"Berlin." I said emphatically. "Don't do anything."

"That's not an option." He sneered.

"Do you have a phone?" I asked her while I mentally begged for her to say no.

"I'm sorry." She said as she bursted out crying.

_Fuck._

"That wasn't a wise choice...Ms. Gaztambide." Berlin said smoothly as he began to walk over to her.

"Mónica...hand the phone over to me and walk away." I said sternly as I stepped in front of her shaking body so Berlin couldn't get to her.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as she nervously fumbled with the zipper on her jumpsuit and pulled it down just enough so that she could pull out two stacks of money along with the small black cell phone.

"Did you plan on going on a trip?" Berlin asked patronizingly as I handed him the phone and the money.

"Ms. Gaztambide." I said slowly. "Denver will take you back downstairs now."

"No." Berlin snapped as he stared at me with a evil glint in his eye. "Denver won't be taking anyone back downstairs."

"Berlin." I said emphatically. " _Don't_ make this harder then it has to be."

"Have you forgotten who gives the orders around here?" He asked with a patronizing chuckle. "Because I can assure you that you don't. You're just a hostage and a worthless toy that's undeniably expendable."

_I can't stand this fucker._

"I might be just a fucking hostage." I spat. "But I'm not a pushover."

"No you're not." He said. "But what you are is a pain in the ass."

"Let Mónica go." I said emphatically.

"Denver." Berlin said as he ignored my words. "Take her to the bathroom and kill her."

"What?!" I exclaimed incredulously as the helpless woman behind me began to cry hysterically. "What do you mean kill her?!"

"What other way is there to explain it?" He asked mockingly.

"Denver." I said as I whipped my head in his direction. "Don't do it."

"If you don't do it then I'll kill you and Ms. Gaztambide myself." Berlin said smoothly.

"Let's go." Denver said weakly as he walked over to Mónica and dragged her with him in the direction of the bathroom.

"Denver! Don't!" I screamed as I attempted to run after him but a pair of arms around my waist forced me to a halt.

"Don't even think about it." Berlin snarled in my ear.

"She's pregnant!" I shouted. "She's carrying a baby! You can't kill her!"

"It's too late." He said simply.

"It's not too late yet." I countered as I struggled to break free from his arms. "She still has a chance."

"You need to tell him to keep her alive she..." I began to say but two loud gunshots cut me off abruptly.

"No." I breathed out as my eyes widened in disbelief and I immediately stopped fighting to get out of his grasp. "He couldn't have."

"On the contrary." Berlin said with a smirk. "I think he did."

"Denver!" I yelled as I pushed his arms off of my body and ran towards the bathrooms. "Denver!"

"Denver!" I yelled again as I pushed the door open to the ladies room but what I saw made my stomach do backflips.

Denver dropped the lifeless body of Mónica Gaztambide on the ground as her blood covered the floor.

"What did you do?" I asked barley above a whisper. "Oh my god Denver what did you do?!"

"I'm sorry." He said as he forced back tears but the heavy footsteps of the man responsible were enough for Denver to recompose himself.

"Ah you did it!" Berlin said as his voice swelled with pride as he observed the scene before him.

"I must admit that I'm surprised it took two gunshots to kill her." He said with a grin. "Do blondes make you nervous?"

Denver stayed silent.

"Bring the body down to the basement and burn it." Berlin said with absolutely no remorse in his voice.

"Then when you're done with that. Come back up here and clean this mess up." He added as he walked away calmly.

"Berlin!" I screamed as I ran after him in complete rage. "Berlin!"

"Berlin!" I screamed again as I followed him into his office and closed the door behind me.

"What?" He groaned out. "What?!"

"How could you do that?!" I exclaimed.

"It's clear you don't understand what being a leader means." He commented with a grin. "It means having to make tough decisions for the sake of the plan."

"Plus. You aren't going to get angry at me are you _mi reina_?" He asked patronizingly. "After all we do seem to have a _special_ relationship."

"We don't have a relationship." I spat.

"On the contrary." He said. "I think you feel a connection between us...as do I...and I think you want to have something with me."

"Even if I was remotely interested in having any sort of relationship with you...you fucking ruined it when you ordered the execution of an innocent woman." I snarled.

"She had a phone hidden in her panties." He defended mockingly. "What should I have done? Commended her for her plan to contact the police? Or perhaps I should have given her a thumbs up for effort?"

"Shut the fuck up." I hissed. "I don't have time for your bullshit. Do you have any humanity? Do you even realize what you just cost that woman?"

"Quite frankly I don't care." He said casually.

"She was pregnant. She had her whole life ahead of her. And now she's dead." I spat.

"Everybody dies eventually." He replied. "It's the cycle of life."

"And what about her child?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Huh? That baby was innocent!"

"Ms. Gaztambide should have thought about her child before making such a foolish decision so if anybody is to blame for the child's death it's herself."

_Is he serious right now?_ I thought to myself as I stared at him in complete disbelief.

"Why did you make Denver do it?" I asked with anger laced in my voice. "If you wanted her dead so badly why didn't you just do it yourself?"

"Denver made a fatal mistake and he had to pay the price."

"What fatal mistake?"

"He was going to allow to her to walk away without frisking her." He said with a shrug. "If I hadn't been standing with them when the phone went off then there's a large possibility that Denver would've let her go."

"So the fact he didn't frisk a defenseless woman means he should be the one to pull the trigger and take away the life of not only her but also her baby?!" I screamed.

"Don't raise your voice at me." He threatened.

"You have no right to tell me what to do." I retorted back lowly.

"I'm your boss now." He screamed darkly as he made his way over to me. "So I have every right in the whole damn world."

"You're a monster." I said as I shook my head in disgust. "And that woman's blood is on _your_ hands."

"So be it." He said with a chuckle. "It isn't the first time I've killed someone although I have to admit that it is my first time killing a woman so I suppose that's something to celebrate about."

"Who are you?" I asked him as I turned around and began to walk away. "Because I don't recognize the man that first walked in here anymore."

"I'm the same man." He said simply. "The only difference is now you've seen me at my worst."

"You're broken...and you know that...because if you can stand there and say that killing a pregnant woman is okay then I don't know how you're sane." I said as I slammed the door behind me.

_Fucking idiot._ I shouted in my head as I opened a door to a random office and closed it behind me.

"She's fucking dead." I said to myself as I laid on the hardwood table that stood in the middle of the room.

_That woman isn't here anymore._

_She's gone._

_She's not breathing._

_She's dead._

_And so is her baby._

"Fuck!" I screamed out it in frustration.

"What are you doing?" A familiar voice called out.

_Rio._

"Thinking." I said simply as I continued to stare up at the blank ceiling.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked as he laid down next to me.

"Death." I answered him.

"Death scares me." He said as he turned to look at me with a sad smile.

"It scares a lot of people." I said casually. "Don't be ashamed."

"Why don't you fear death?" He asked me as he resumed his focus back on the ceiling.

"My life has been anything _but_ pleasant." I said with a chuckle. "Most days when I was a little girl I'd wish that I was dead."

"Why would you do that?" He asked incredulously.

"It was my escape route incase things became too difficult. I've always known it was inevitable. You're born. You live. And then you die." I said with a shrug. "That's it."

"Do you think there's life after death?" He asked genuinely.

"I don't believe in Heaven or Hell." I said emphatically. "But I do believe that once we die we go someplace. Perhaps to the place we've been the happiest in our lives."

"I hope so." He said softly. "For that woman's sake."

"She didn't deserve to die." He added as I nodded my head.

"You think I don't already know that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I just can't believe Berlin would do that." He said as he shook his head in sadness. "I always thought he was very high maintenance and a bit pretentious but I never would've thought he'd have a pregnant woman be executed."

"Execution is fit for a terrorist and that woman was most certainly not one of them." I said.

"It's not safe in here." He said with a sigh.

"You're right." I commented.

"My daughter is going to be inside of here eventually." I said with a pathetic smile. "She's going to be locked inside of this treacherous place with a man who just executed a pregnant woman."

"Berlin would never hurt your daughter."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked incredulously. "You just said yourself that you never thought he was capable of harming a pregnant woman yet he just did!"

"Berlin has this weird infatuation with you." He said. "He would never hurt your daughter because he knows that you would never forgive him for it."

"That's not reassuring." I said softly.

"When it comes to Berlin." Rio said as he looked at me sympathetically. " _Nothing is ever reassuring_."


	6. Chapter 6: I've Never Claimed To Be A Saint.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _1:03 P.M._

_"When it comes to Berlin." Rio said as he looked at me sympathetically. "Nothing is ever reassuring."_

"I've come to realize that." I said as I pulled my body up from the desk.

"Where are you going?" He asked me.

"I'm going to talk to Moscow and apologize for almost killing his son in front of him." I said softly.

"Before you do that you should go talk to Berlin."

"And why would I do that?" I scoffed.

"Paris." He said as he looked at me disapprovingly. "As much as you might hate him for what he did that doesn't change the fact that he's your boss now."

"What's your point?" I asked impatiently.

"You have to respect him." Rio said simply. "He can make your life hell inside of here if you don't."

"He killed a hostage." I spat. "Why the hell should I apologize for standing up to that fucking dictator?!"

"Just go do it." He said with a groan. "If you don't then he'll be in a shitty mood and take it out on all of us."

"I'll go talk to him." I said with a sigh. "But I'm _not_ apologizing."

"Fine." He replied as I walked out of the room and made my way down the hall.

_Just go do it._ I mocked inwardly but I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion once I saw Tokyo make her way out of Berlin's office with a bullet proof vest covering her body.

"Tokyo?" I called out as she turned her head to look at me. "What are you doing?"

"I was just paying our precious leader a little visit." She said with a smirk.

"That's funny." I said with a chuckle. "I was going to do the same thing."

"I heard you mouthed off to Berlin earlier." She said with a smile.

"I did." I said with a nod.

"I love it when you put him in his place." She commented.

"Someone has too." I said nonchalantly.

"Listen I promised Oslo that I'd help him watch the hostages during his shift so I have to go but just a warning." She said. "Berlin's not in a good mood."

"When is he ever in a good mood?" I asked her as I pushed open the door to his office without knocking.

"I'll make sure to tell her." Berlin said into the phone as he made eye contact with me.

"Paris." He said with a smirk etched on his face as he hung up the small red device. "Back so soon?"

"I must admit that I wasn't expecting you to start another fight this fast." He added.

"I didn't come for a fight." I said emphatically as I closed the door and locked it behind me.

"Then why are you here?" He asked curiously.

"Rio told me that I should come and apologize." I said as I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"I always knew that I liked that kid." He said with a chuckle.

I simply hummed in response as I studied him.

"The Professor has informed me that he sent his associates to reclaim your daughter and bring her to Madrid." He suddenly said.

"That's great." I said dryly.

"You aren't happy that your daughter will be reunited with you soon?" He asked as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Honestly?" I said as I walked towards his desk and sat down on the edge of it. "I don't know if bringing her here is the right choice anymore."

"And why not?" He asked as he placed his hand on top of my thigh.

"It isn't safe." I said simply.

"It isn't safe." He repeated as if he didn't believe a word I was saying. "How?"

"Because she'd be stuck in here with you _Berlin_." I said harshly as I shoved his hand off of my leg.

"You think I'd harm your daughter?" He asked as he struggled to hold in his laugh.

"You ordered Denver to execute a pregnant woman!" I exclaimed. "Why should I believe that you wouldn't harm my daughter?!"

"I would never do anything to your child." He said sternly.

"I hope for your sake that what you're saying is true." I said as I looked at him. "Because I won't hesitate to kill you if you even think about touching her."

"Is that right?" He asked with a smirk.

"I don't fuck around when it comes to my daughter." I said lowly. "So try me _Berlin_...I fucking dare you."

"That won't be necessary." He said casually. "I believe you."

"Wonderful." I replied in irritation.

"Can I ask you something Paris?" He asked as he placed his hand back onto my thigh.

"What?" I gritted out.

"Why did you seem so concerned when The Professor told you that your daughter was with your mother?" He asked curiously. "I thought you would've been happy to hear she was with someone you knew."

"Well then you thought wrong." I snapped at him. "My mother is a horrible woman who doesn't deserve to have a relationship with her granddaughter."

"She's an abuser." I added with a slight snarl. "She breaks you down until even the strongest soul can't bare to take her violence any longer."

"Did she hit you?"

"Does it really matter if she did?" I countered.

"So I'll take that as a yes." He said with a small smirk.

"Whether she hit me or not is irrelevant to the issue at hand."

"And that issue is?"

"The fact that my daughter is stuck with her until The Professor brings her here!" I exclaimed.

"So you fear for your daughters safety?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes and no." I clarified. "I'm nervous that my mother will hit her but I don't fear for her safety because ultimately fear is useless."

"Fear is useless?" He questioned. "How so?"

"Fear is nothing more than an emotion that people who fail to grasp reality use." I said simply.

"Wouldn't you prefer to die proudly then to die full of fear?" I asked him. "Because I can assure you that I would choose to die without fear a thousand times over."

"So you don't fear the day you die?" He asked seemingly unconvinced.

"Haven't I made it clear to you multiple times that I don't care if I die?" I shot at him.

"You have a point _mi reina_." He said with a smirk.

"Fear is useless." I repeated for the second time as I stared aimlessly at the wall in front of me. "I've lived without fear and I'll die without fear."

"I share that sentiment." He said with a grin.

"I could care less." I replied with ease.

"Have you ever thought about how you would want to be remembered?" He asked me.

"Honestly?" I asked as I turned my head to stare at him. "I don't really give a shit."

"You don't?"

"No."

"Not many people would agree with you." He said.

"I don't care." I shrugged. "As long as my daughter is safe then I don't care what happens to me or how I'm remembered."

"You care deeply for your child." He said as more of a statement then a question.

"Yes." I said. "Every parent should care deeply for their children otherwise what's the point in having them?"

"I suppose you have a point." He commented.

"Do you have children _Berlin_?" I asked him curiously.

"No." He said with a soft chuckle. "Fatherhood was never meant for me."

"You seem to only care about yourself so I guess it's a blessing in disguise that you chose to not have children." I said with a smirk. "From what I've seen you wouldn't make a decent father."

"Your opinion means nothing to me." He said dismissively.

"On the contrary." I said emphatically. "I think my opinion _does_ matter to you."

"You clearly have an odd obsession with how you are perceived by strangers." I added. "You made that clear when you introduced yourself to all of us on your first day here. You made it a point to give off a good impression despite the guns and the creepy masks."

"You are very perceptive." He said.

"No." I said with a grin. "I'm just intelligent enough to realize when I'm talking to an egocentric psychopath like yourself."

"Is that right?" He asked in amusement.

"How can you live with yourself?" I asked him genuinely. "How can you wake up every morning and plaster that fake smirk on your face as if it's nothing?"

"It's actually quite easy." He replied with a chuckle.

"You are despicable." I spat. "I'm glad that you don't have children because if you did I'd feel sorry for them...just knowing that they'd have to live with a sexist disgusting pig like yourself would truly be heartbreaking."

"Aren't you the very same woman who sold her body so she could make a living?" He asked me with a patronizing chuckle. "Yet you judge me for how I am when clearly you are no saint either."

"I've never claimed to be saint." I shot at him. "And I'm not ashamed of my past so you can try to throw it in my face all you want but it won't get a rise out of me because at the end of the day your words mean absolutely nothing to me."

"My daughter is the only thing in this world that matters to me." I added. "She is the only reason I joined you. So you can continue to try and make my life hell. But guess what?"

"What?" He asked in a bored tone of voice.

"It doesn't matter what you do." I said as I leaned towards him. "Because you don't matter to me."

The room went deathly silent.

Berlin said nothing.

All he did was stare at me with a blank expression on his face as I racked my brain with reasons why he hadn't responded but before I could even blink his arms quickly looped around my waist and dragged me onto his lap.

"I find it very hard to believe that I mean nothing to you." He said with a smirk.

" _Berlin_." I said warningly.

"Yes _mi reina_?" He asked as he looked at me in amusement.

"Stop!" I exclaimed as I pushed him away from me but his grip on my waist tightened in response. "I'm not some whore you can just use and throw away!"

"I never said that you were a whore." He replied with a chuckle.

"I fucking hate you." I admitted. "You're a narcissistic prick who needs therapy."

"And you are a self righteous bitch who's mother clearly hit her to try and solve that rebellious attitude you have inside of you." He countered with a smug smile.

I looked at him in shock as I digested his words.

Nobody had _ever_ said something like that to me.

Yet this condescending asshole just did.

I took in a deep breath as we stared at each other...both seemingly waiting for the other to make a move first.

My eyes burned with anger while his eyes were laced with frustration.

_God I just wanted to forget._

I wanted to forget about the fact that my daughter was staying with my abusive mother.

I wanted to forget that my husband cheated on me.

I wanted to forget that I willingly joined a group of criminals.

I wanted to forget that Mónica Gaztambide and her unborn child were dead.

I wanted to forget about everything going on in my life and deep down I knew that the man sitting in front of me was the only person in this entire building that could help me think about something other than what was currently happening.

_Fuck it._ I said to myself as I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.

The kisses that were usually full of passion had morphed into a rough fight for dominance.

I moaned into his mouth as Berlin stood up and pushed my body onto his desk.

I dug my nails into his back as he grabbed a handful of my hair and used it to force my head to the side leaving open access to my neck.

He kissed under my ear gently as I began to grow impatient because as much as I detested the man he always seemed to entice me like no other.

"Berlin." I breathed out in frustration as I guided his mouth back onto my own and kissed him roughly.

He wordlessly grabbed me by the hem of his grey shirt he had allowed me to use just mere hours ago and flipped my body over so that my back faced him.

He dragged my jumpsuit down my legs and pulled down my panties so that both the coveralls and my underwear landed in a messy pile on the floor below.

His hand unexpectedly slammed down onto my ass and my breathed hitched in response. I winced at the pain it caused but there was an underlying sense of pleasure that erupted inside of me as his hand continued to meet my bare flesh.

_I needed this._

"Harder." I moaned out.

He said nothing and I let out a huff of annoyance at his silent demeanor but before I could open my mouth to complain his hand connected with my ass again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

My eyes practically rolled to the back of my head as I struggled to regulate my breathing.

"Don't stop." I begged.

He kept going as his hands continuously smacked my body with immense force but I needed more.

"Berlin." I moaned out as I turned my head back to face him with pleading eyes.

"What do you want _mi reina_?" He asked with a lust filled gaze.

I said nothing because I couldn't find it in me to admit that I wanted him.

It was humiliating.

I wanted the psychopath to fuck me.

"I need you to use your words." He said with a smirk as he kneaded the flesh he had just abused.

"I want you to fuck me." I said barely above a whisper as he chuckled lightly.

"Are you sure _mi amor_?" He asked teasingly.

"Yes." I breathed out as I heard him unzip his jumpsuit and without warning I felt him push himself inside of me roughly.

"Fuck." I moaned out in complete satisfaction as he began to thrust inside of me...hard.

His hands wrapped around my throat from behind as I felt the fleeting pleasure consume me.

"Is this why you always mouth off to me Paris?" Berlin whispered in my ear and I could practically feel the cocky grin he had etched across his face. "To be writhing underneath me while I take complete control of your body?" He asked as his grip around my throat tightened.

"You're a fucking bastard." I breathed out as his movements began to quicken.

He groaned loudly as he felt my body stiffen and before I knew it we both moaned loudly as we came.

He collapsed next to me as he wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me into him.

And for once in my life I had nothing to say.

"I knew I'd get the chance to fuck you." He commented with a smirk as he finally broke the silence that had overtook the room.

"That meant nothing." I said emphatically.

"Really?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Really." I repeated.

"So then tell me...does this mean nothing?" He asked as he leaned his head down and captured my lips in his own.

"It means nothing." I said as I pulled away from him slightly to speak before deepening the kiss again.

"Berlin!" A voice screamed from the other side of the door.

"Tokyo." Berlin said with a sigh as he leaned his forehead against my own.

"What is it?" He called out with evident irritation laced in his voice.

"Where the hell is Paris?!" She shouted. "We can't find her and we need her!"

_What? Why do they need me?_

"What do you need Paris for?" He asked as he looked down at me in confusion.

"Moscow had a panic attack and he passed out." She explained as my eyes went wide. "We don't know what to do."

"I'll go find her." Berlin called out with an eye roll as I stifled my chuckle. "Where is Moscow now?"

"We have him laying down in the main office." She said quickly. "Find her Berlin."

"I will." He said as her footsteps began to grow distant and I let out a sigh of relief that I didn't even know I was holding in.

"We need to go check on him." I said emphatically as I bent down to pick up my discarded clothes and I frantically pulled them on.

"Relax." Berlin said with a wink. "We have time."

"Do you even realize how detrimental a panic attack can be?" I asked him harshly.

"Quite honestly I don't care." He said nonchalantly.

_Great job Paris! You just willingly had sex with a heartless bastard who doesn't give a shit about his partners' well being. The award for stupidest woman in the world goes to you._ I thought to myself sarcastically as I took a deep breath and struggled to hold in my apparent frustration.

"Panic attacks can lead to hysteria and delusions if they're not treated carefully." I explained calmly as I finished redressing myself.

"That's unfortunate." He said as he zipped his jumpsuit back up and made his way towards the door.

"You locked it?" He asked with an amused chuckle as he gestured to the door handle with the lock that I had clicked into place when I had first arrived here. "Were you expecting to sleep with me?"

"Hardly." I said dryly as I walked past him and unlocked the door.

"You're an interesting woman Ms. Laurent." He said smoothly as he opened the door and allowed me to walk ahead of him.

"I'm aware." I said emphatically as I made my way down the hall with him following close behind.

"Paris!" Nairobi exclaimed in relief as I barged into the office where the rest of the group stood. "Thank god you're here!"

"Where did you find her?" Tokyo asked as she tilted her head curiously. "I looked everywhere and yet you find her in five seconds?"

_Fuck._

"It's none of your business Tokyo." Berlin said harshly.

"I need you all to explain exactly what caused his panic attack." I said as I swiftly changed the subject and shuffled over to Moscow to check his pulse.

I smiled slightly when I realized he was breathing normally.

_Thank god._

"Moscow found out that someone shot Mónica Gaztambide." Tokyo explained as she glared at Berlin from across the room. "When Denver confirmed that he was the one that pulled the trigger Moscow started to hyperventilate and he fell to the ground."

"Was his breathing erratic?" I asked.

"Yes." Helsinki replied.

"And you said he fell?" I questioned as I placed my hands on his head and felt around for any indication of a bump or blood. "Did you see him hit his head on anything as he hit the ground?"

"No." Denver said as he walked over to me. "I kept his body as still as I could until he passed out."

"That's good." I said as I nodded my head at him encouragingly.

"Why is everyone here?" Berlin suddenly snapped causing me to sigh in frustration at his lack of remorse. "Shouldn't most of you be at your posts?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Tokyo shouted. "Moscow just had a panic attack because of the execution you called for!"

"We aren't leaving until we know that he's okay." Rio added.

"I'm sorry." Berlin said mockingly. "Did someone put you in charge when I was on break?"

"All of you shut the fuck up!" I screamed impatiently.

"Berlin is right." I said reluctantly as everyone looked at me in disbelief. "Moscow will be fine. I'm going to wake him up in a few moments and then I'll give him some anxiety pills and he'll be good as new."

"In the mean time I need you all to do your fucking jobs so I can leave here with my daughter _and_ the money when this is all over." I said emphatically.

"Nairobi go back to the machines. Helsinki and Oslo go watch the hostages." I said firmly as they all nodded their heads and quickly made their way out of the room. "Tokyo, Rio, and Denver stay here with me."

"Berlin." I said as I looked up at the man whom I had just slept with moments ago. "Leave and go do whatever the hell it is that you have to do."

"You expect me to listen to your orders?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Paris." He tutted. "You're very foolish."

"I swear to fucking god I will kill you in your sleep if you don't start respecting me." I snapped at him harshly. "I'm one of you now which means you can't keep treating me like you treat the dirt on the bottom of your shoe _Berlin_."

" _Cariño_." He said with casually. "Clearly you're under the impression that you have special privileges when it comes to how you speak to me but let me remind you that I'm still in charge and while you're locked in here you will be punished if you mouth off to me again."

_Okay apparently the bitchy approach doesn't work._

"Please Berlin." I said as I looked at him with pleading eyes. "Just leave."

He stared at me in silence and I could see the conflicting emotions that were battling in his eyes.

"Fine." He solemnly replied as he turned around and walked out of the room.

"What the hell just happened?" Tokyo asked incredulously.

"You just told Berlin to basically fuck off and he listened." Rio said as he smiled widely at me. "That was amazing."

"Did you suck him off or something?" Tokyo asked jokingly.

"No." I said as I chuckled. "I wouldn't touch him with a ten foot pole."

_Lies._ My subconscious screamed at me.

"We know." Rio said as he sat down next to Moscow on the couch.

"What can we do to help you?" Denver asked nervously.

"Tokyo I need you to grab a cloth and the bottle of hydrogen peroxide from the first aid kit." I said as she nodded her head and opened the red box with ease as she quickly pulled out the bottle of peroxide.

"Rio." I said as I turned my head to him. "I know that you guys received medications for the hostages. Go check to see if there's any anxiety medications and if you find some bring me two pills."

"I'll be as quick as I can." He assured me as he ran out the door.

"Denver." I said as I turned to him. "I need you to stay here and hold your fathers hand. As he begins to wake up you need to try and soothe him. Do you understand?"

"Yeah...yeah...I understand." He stuttered as he leaned towards me. "Paris?"

"What?" I asked him.

"I...uh...I need your help with something." He said barely above a whisper. "I know I've been a dick to you but I really need your help and you can't tell the others."

_What?_

"Denver." I said as I placed my hand on top of his own comfortingly. "I'll help you with whatever you need. I promise. But right now we need to focus on your father so can you tell me later?"

"Yeah." He said as he shook his head. "You're right."

"Thank you Paris." He said sincerely.

"Don't thank me. Consider my help as a peace offering." I said with a chuckle. "After all I did threaten to torture you earlier."

"AH AH AH AH AH AH." He laughed as he smiled softly at me.

"You're a good man Denver." I assured him. "I can see it in your eyes."

"Paris!" Rio exclaimed as he bursted back into the room. "I found the pills!"

"Good." I said as I looked over at Tokyo. "Pour the alcohol on the cloth and hand it to me."

"Here." She said as she soaked the rag in the peroxide and quickly gave it to me.

"Rio. Tokyo. Hold down his shoulders." I said as I placed the cloth underneath Moscow's nose and watched in satisfaction as Tokyo and Rio placed their hands on his upper body.

"Come on." I muttered underneath my breath and I smiled in elation as he began to stir slightly.

"Papà?" Denver asked softly as he held the older mans hand. "Papà?"

"Son?" Moscow asked as he rapidly began to jerk around. "What's going on?"

"Moscow." I said as I placed my hand on his stomach. "Take deep breaths for me. Okay?"

"Okay." He repeated as he took soothing breaths.

"There that's it." I said with a nod. "Just calm down."

"Rio hand me the pills." I instructed as I held out my hand and felt him place the small tablets in my palm.

"Drink some water." Tokyo said to Moscow as she handed him a bottle of water.

"And take these." I said as I pushed the pills into his own hand. "They will help you relax."

"I think...I think I need some air." He choked out as he swallowed the pills down his throat.

"Then we'll bring you up to the roof Papá." Denver said as he looked at me for approval.

"Yeah." I said as I nodded my head. "Denver will bring you up to the roof with Helsinki."

"Paris." Rio said warningly. "Berlin won't approve of that."

"He doesn't have too." I said as I stared at him with a smirk. "He just has to have the right incentive so that he becomes distracted and once he is that's when we catch him off guard and force his hand."

"What's the plan?" Tokyo asked with a mischievous grin.

"Denver will bring Moscow to the door of the roof and wait there until reinforcements show up. Rio. You have to go get Helsinki and tell him to meet Denver at the entrance of the roof but bring ten other hostages with you and give them fake guns." I explained. "Then once you've helped them onto the roof you have to get Nairobi and meet in Berlin's office."

"But what will Tokyo and you do?" He asked in confusion.

"Paris is the only person that's capable of distracting Berlin long enough so that we can surprise him." Tokyo said with a nod of understanding sent my way.

"I'll take care of the issue regarding his gun." I said with a wink.

"He doesn't separate himself from his gun." Denver said emphatically.

"Trust me." Tokyo said. "If it's for Paris then he would."

"We've all seen how Berlin acts around her." Moscow coughed out. "He'll listen to her."

"He's got a point." Rio said reluctantly.

"Now that we've established that Berlin treats me differently let's get this plan started." I said dryly as I walked towards the door.

"Thank you Paris." Denver said as he helped Moscow to his feet.

"I already told you." I said with a chuckle. "It's an act of peace."

"Let's go." Tokyo said as she softly pulled me alongside her.

"What are you doing to do?" She questioned as we made our way to Berlin's office.

"I'm going to charm him with my astonishing personality." I said sarcastically as she began to laugh loudly at my words.

"When I call your names _that's_ when you come in." I said to her explicitly.

"Good luck." She called out to me in a low whisper as I pushed the door open to his office while she waited against the wall.

"Berlin." I said emphatically. "We need to talk."

"Ah _mi reina_ have you come to tell me that you'll be relieving me of my duties as leader?" He asked mockingly as he studied my face.

"I wish." I said with an eye roll. "But sadly that's not why I've come to speak to you."

"Oh no?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"No." I said as rounded his desk and made my way over to him.

"Then why have you come to speak to me?" He asked curiously.

"Well I didn't really come here to speak." I said as I threw my legs over his own and sat down on his lap.

"Are you sure you want to do this again?" He asked with a smirk. "I'm not sure you can handle another round with me _cariño._ "

"On the contrary." I said as I placed my hand over his gun and gingerly placed it on the desk behind me. "I think I can."

"Is that right?" He asked as his arm wrapped around my waist.

"That's right." I confirmed.

"But first." I added with a smile. "I think we need to have a little meeting beforehand."

"A meeting?" He asked curiously as he placed his lips onto my skin and began to kiss the sensitive spots of my neck.

I bit my lip harshly as I suppressed the urge to moan.

_Focus on the task. Focus on the task. Focus on the task._ I kept repeating to myself as I opened my mouth to once again speak.

"I have some friends who are just dying to have a family meeting." I said as he chuckled at my words.

"Friends?" He asked in amusement.

"Tokyo! Rio! Nairobi!" I called out as his eyes locked onto mine and shockingly they weren't full of anger. No. They were full of something else...it almost looked like...pride.

"What is this?" He asked with a smirk as he reached for his gun but I caught his hand before it could tightly grasp the deadly weapon.

"Denver took Moscow up to the roof for some air." Tokyo spat as she held her M-16 up at Berlin.

"They're surrounded by hostages with fake guns." Rio added as he pointed his gun at Berlin as well.

"Interesting choice of destination for a field trip." Berlin replied cooly as he retracted his hand from my grasp and placed his arm back around my waist.

"I'm assuming this was your idea?" He asked as he turned his attention onto me.

"Perhaps." I said with a grin and before I knew it the phone began to ring causing my smile to disappear in an instant.

"Am I allowed to pick up the phone or are you going to shoot my hand off for moving?" He asked patronizingly as Tokyo silently gestured for him to answer.

"Yes?" He asked as he picked up the phone and placed it against his ear.

"What are they doing out there on the roof?" The Professor asked incredulously.

"Moscow went out for air surrounded by hostages holding fake guns." Berlin explained. "As you know I would've never permitted this craziness to happen but my partners have convinced me that it's a really great idea."

I chuckled inwardly as Tokyo and Rio continued to point their guns at him.

"No more improvising and keep me informed." The Professor said sternly as he hung up the call.

"If you don't keep your fucking cool then you can forget about the millions and life in Acapulco with your garden full of kids because you'll destroy it all." Berlin said as his grip around my waist tightened. "You only had to do one thing and that was to be professionals."

"Professionals?" Nairobi asked in disbelief as she held up one of the bills she had just finished printing. "Does this not look professional to you?"

"How precious." Berlin replied in a bored tone of voice.

"Precious? No. It's a fucking bill that's better than what the banks have. No one can even trace this. It's a work of art. And do you know why?" She asked as she stood up from her seat.

"Enlighten me Nairobi." Berlin said.

"Because I made it with passion. You're looking at a professional. What I don't understand is what would you do if your father fell apart in the middle of all this? Huh? Are you a burglar before a son? Aye Berlin? Like you're not human?"

He stayed silent as he listened to her words.

"Yeah...well a piece of shit like you...maybe. But I? I can't do it." She said as she carelessly ripped up the fifty dollar bill in her hand and threw it in his face.

"Nairobi." Rio tried to say but it was useless.

She had already walked out of the room and made her way towards the machines.

"Nairobi's right." I said emphatically as I turned my head to face Berlin.

He went to open his mouth in protest but before he could a loud gunshot rang out throughout the building that caused everyone to abruptly freeze in their place.

_What the fuck was that?_

"PARIS!" I heard Denver's voice faintly scream out. "PARIS WE NEED YOUR HELP!"

"Fuck!" I hissed out as I jumped off of Berlin's lap and ran out of the door with Tokyo and Rio following closely behind me.

"Denver where are you?!" I shouted as I frantically searched for the man in question.

"Over here!" He shouted as Tokyo ushered me over to the stairs that led up to the roof.

"What happened?!" I exclaimed in disbelief as I watched Moscow and Helsinki struggle to carry a body down the steps with them.

_"Arturo was shot by a sniper." Denver breathed out in fear. "Paris it's really bad."_


	7. Chapter 7: We're Friends Now?

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _3:26 P.M._

_"Arturo was shot by a sniper." Denver breathed out in fear. "Paris it's really bad."_

"Fuck." I hissed out as I looked at the bullet wound on Arturo's right shoulder that was gushing out blood at a rapid pace.

"Tokyo I need you to find me something that I can use as a stretcher!" I screamed as she ran off towards the main hall.

"Rio! Go get the first aid kit from the office!" I shouted as I put pressure on the wound. "Now!"

"I'm going!" He shouted back as he left me alone with Denver and Helsinki.

"Arturo." I said loudly as he looked at me with glazed eyes. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes." He whispered out.

"I'm going to help you." I assured him. "Okay?"

"Okay." He said as he weakly nodded his head.

"What the fuck happened?!" Nairobi screamed as she ran over to us with Berlin by her side.

"The fucking police shot him!" Denver exclaimed.

"He found out about Mónica's death." Moscow said nervously. "He got angry and started pointing his fake gun at all of us. The police must've thought he was one of us so they shot him."

"Do you see what your crazy decision to execute a hostage has cost us?!" Nairobi shouted at Berlin.

"I don't see how this is my fault." He replied seemingly unfazed.

"You don't see how this is your fault?!" Nairobi exclaimed in disbelief.

"Stop fighting!" I yelled in frustration. "We don't have time for your petty arguments!"

"Sorry." Nairobi mumbled.

"Move out of the way!" Tokyo screamed as she ran down the hall with Rio while pushing a metal cart in front of them.

"I've got the kit!" Rio shouted.

"Berlin." I said as I looked over at him. "I need your help."

"I'll help you with whatever you need _mi reina._ " He said smoothly.

"I need you to lay Arturo on top of the cart while I keep pressure on his wound." I said as he nodded his head.

"Ready?" He asked me as he took ahold of the directors body.

"Do it." I said as I applied more force onto the gunshot wound and moved with Arturo as Berlin laid him down on the metal slab.

"Denver hand me water and some scissors!" I snapped as I guided Berlin's hands onto Arturo's shoulder and had him take over for me while I opened the medical kit in search of gauzes.

"Here." Denver said as he ripped the bottle cap off from the water and held the scissors tightly in his hand as he awaited further instructions.

I grabbed the office tool from his hand wordlessly as I stepped in between Berlin's arms so I could get closer to the bullet wound but I internally groaned as I felt him move closer to me so that his crotch pressed against the back of my ass.

_Fucking asshole._ I said to myself as I forced my attention back onto the task at hand.

I slowly cut Arturo's shirt and jumpsuit down the middle of his chest.

"Berlin." I said as I felt his hot breath against my ear.

"Yes _mi amor_?" He asked.

"I need you to wash the wound out with water when I take his shirt and coveralls off of him." I said as I watched his hand snatch the full bottle of water from Denver.

"On your word." He said cooly.

"Now." I said as I peeled off the bloody fabric from Arturo's chest and I immediately saw the water pouring out onto the hole in his shoulder.

_Fuck._ I said to myself as I studied the severity of the gunshot wound.

There was no way I could fix this with a first aid kit and a bottle of water and I knew that.

"Cover the wound again while I get the gauzes." I said to Berlin as his hand once again applied pressure onto Arturo's shoulder but I immediately furrowed my eyebrows as I watched it begin to shake slightly.

_Was he nervous?_

"Paris take these." Moscow said quickly as he shoved random pieces of medical tape and extra gauzes in my hand.

"Alright Mr. Román I'm going to tape these over your wound but you have to stay here for now." I said as he nodded his head in silence.

I smiled softly at him and bit my bottom lip in concentration as I taped the gauze to his skin and immediately moved away from his body.

"Try to rest and I promise I'll be back in a few minutes." I assured him as I turned to face Berlin.

"I need to talk to you." I said as he nodded his head and ushered me over towards the hallway.

"What's the problem?" He asked.

"His wound is much more severe than you realize." I said emphatically. "The bullet is still lodged in his shoulder and I can't take it out without surgical equipment."

"So what are you saying?" He asked casually. "You can't save his life?"

"No." I said harshly. "You don't have the supplies I need. If I operate then we might as well plan his funeral right now."

"Then what the fuck good are you?" He spat. "Aren't you here because you're a nurse?"

"I'm here because I saved your team when _you_ fucking couldn't." I snapped at him. "All I've done since I've been here is try and help you."

"So staging a small coup d'ètat which inevitably was the cause of Arturo Román's unfortunate bullet wound is your idea of helping?" He asked in amusement.

_Is he really trying to blame this all on me?_ I asked myself in disbelief.

"I am _not_ responsible for that man getting shot." I sneered.

"If you had just followed the rules and not allowed Denver to take Moscow up to the roof then none of this would've happened." He said calmly.

"It's not my fault!" I exclaimed.

"Actually it is." He retorted back.

"Well guess what?" I asked him.

"What?" He questioned in a bored tone of voice.

"Regardless of who's fault you think this is it doesn't change the fact that you have to get me surgical equipment or you have to bring a doctor in here to fix this mess themselves otherwise that man is going to die _Berlin_."

"So be it." He said with a smirk.

"So be it?" I questioned in astonishment. "That's all you have to say?"

"We're not sending a surgeon in here." He said emphatically.

"You're wrong." I said as I turned my back to him and walked towards Arturo's bloodied body. "Helsinki stay with Mr. Román until I come back and don't let him move. Do you understand?"

"Yes." Helsinki replied as I nodded my head and made my way to the main hall.

"Where do you think you're going?" Berlin called out to me.

"I'm going to talk to our darling Professor." I said with a wink as he grabbed my arm harshly and spun me around to face him.

"You can't just pick up the phone and call him whenever you like." He spat.

"Watch. Me." I said defiantly as I ripped my arm out of his grasp and made my way up the stairs.

"Paris." He said as he followed closely behind me. "I'm warning you."

"What are you going to do _Berlin_? Huh?" I asked mockingly as I barged through the door to the main office.

"Listen to me." He said sternly. "If you pick up that phone then I promise you that you will regret it."

" _So be it_." I said sarcastically as I repeated his words from earlier.

"You're making a mistake." He said nonchalantly.

"No." I said emphatically as I picked up the phone. "Calling The Professor isn't a mistake...the only mistake I ever made was sleeping with you."

"I don't believe a word out of your mouth." He replied.

"The feeling is mutual." I said as I slammed my hand down on the receiver and waited as the phone began to dial.

"Hello?" A panicked voice I recognized to be The Professor's asked through the phone.

"Professor it's Paris." I said quickly as Berlin rolled his eyes. "We don't have a lot of time so I'll just get right to the point...you need to send in a surgeon."

"I saw what happened to Arturo Román through the cameras." He said nervously. "Is he alive?"

"For right now." I said hesitantly. "The bullet is still in his shoulder and without surgical equipment there's no way I can get it out without killing him."

"How long does he have?" The Professor asked.

"Hours." I said softly. "Barely."

"I'll do what I can." He assured me as my face visibly relaxed.

"Thank you Professor. We'll keep in touch." I said with a small smile but as I went to hang up the phone he spoke yet again.

"Paris." He said abruptly.

"Yes?" I asked in confusion.

"I know Berlin is in the room with you. I can see him through the camera. I'm going to ask you a few questions and all you need to do is respond with either a yes or a no." He said strictly. "And no matter what you do don't make any suspicious eye contact with the man next to you. Does that make sense?"

"Yes." I responded cooly.

"Tokyo forced Berlin to call me a few hours ago and when he did he told me that he executed a hostage." The Professor said in disgust. "Is that true?"

"Yes." I said simply.

The line went quiet for a few seconds before he spoke up again.

"Was the hostage a threat to the plan?" He asked.

"No."

"Was it necessary to kill her?"

"No." I said emphatically as I heard him sigh deeply through the phone.

"This is the most important question I'm going to ask you and I need you to be honest with me. Is that clear?"

"Yes."

"Besides the execution of Mónica Gaztambide...has Berlin done anything else that can be considered as reckless?" He asked nervously.

_Does fucking me against his desk count as something reckless?_ I pondered to myself internally but I ultimately refrained from admitting the truth to the man on the other end of the phone.

"No." I lied.

"Good." The Professor said with an unmistakable tone of relief hidden in his words.

"Is that all?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. "Because even though our conversation has been truly delightful it doesn't change the fact that a man is slowly dying downstairs."

"Like I said before I will do what I can." He responded. "I'll call you with an update in twenty minutes."

"I'll be waiting." I replied.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less." The Professor said as he hung up the call.

"What did you both talk about?" Berlin asked curiously.

"Life and death." I responded as the corners of his mouth twitched up into a smirk.

"Life and death?" He questioned.

"Life and death." I repeated with a nod.

"Interesting."

"Isn't it?" I asked mockingly.

"You know you've just defied my orders right?" He shot at me.

"I'm fully aware."

"Then I hope you know that you will be punished for your actions."

"I'm trembling with fear." I said sarcastically.

" _Mi reina._ " He said as he began to walk towards me. "You should be."

"I'll make sure to keep your suggestion in mind." I said with a patronizing grin but before he could respond a figure bursting into the room caught my attention.

"Paris." Denver said anxiously. "Can I speak to you outside?"

"Of course." I said with a nod.

"I was under the impression you two weren't fond of each other." Berlin said with a smirk. "Have things changed?"

"Things have changed drastically." I commented as I ignored his confused stare and made my way into the hall with Denver.

"Is this about what you were trying to tell me earlier?" I asked.

"Yes." Denver said slowly. "I need your help."

"With what?" I questioned.

He stared at me for a moment before reluctantly taking a step towards my body.

"Mónica Gaztambide is alive." He whispered as my face turned ghost white.

"Denver." I said warningly. "Don't lie to me about something like that."

"Paris listen to me." He said in frustration. "I didn't kill her."

"I saw her body." I deadpanned. "There was a hell of a lot of blood for someone who isn't dead."

"I shot her in her leg." He explained nervously. "She convinced me it was the only thing that would work."

"Don't fuck with me Denver!" I exclaimed in anger. "This isn't a fucking joke!"

"No shit it's not." He said lowly. "I'm telling you the truth."

I narrowed my eyes at him as I studied his face. He gave off no indication that he was lying. I could only see sincerity running through his eyes.

_She was really alive...Denver didn't shoot her...and Berlin isn't responsible._

"Who else knows about this?" I asked darkly.

"My father is the only other person who knows."

"I was with you the whole time when Moscow woke up from his panic attack." I said clearly unconvinced. "When did you find the time to tell him without me noticing?"

"I told him when we went up to the roof." He said as his voice dripped with regret.

"And Arturo overheard you and began to go into a manic episode." I said as everything began to click into place.

"Yeah. He started screaming and he kept asking me if I killed her." He rambled. "I never meant for him to get hurt. I tried to tell him to kneel down so the cops wouldn't shoot him but he didn't listen and then before I knew it he was bleeding out on the ground."

"Denver." I said as I placed my hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "It isn't your fault."

"Isn't it though?" He asked sadly. "If I had just stood up to Berlin like you always do then maybe I wouldn't have had to shoot Mónica...and then my father wouldn't have had a panic attack...and we wouldn't have had to bring him up to the roof...and Arturo wouldn't be laying on a metal cart downstairs with blood gushing out of his shoulder."

"Paris if I hadn't listened to Berlin's orders and I had listened to you then none of this would've happened." He said as he struggled to keep his composure.

"If you hadn't listened to Berlin then he would've killed both Mónica and you." I said emphatically. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"How do you find the courage to stand up to him all the time?" He asked me. "Aren't you scared of what he may do?"

_No. Because if he's unhappy with me then apparently his go to punishment is to fuck my brains out._ I thought to myself sarcastically.

"Berlin isn't as dangerous as he wants you to think." I said softly. "Standing up to him is a challenge for someone with something to lose like you. But for someone like me? I have nothing to lose."

"I'm sorry about the way I spoke to you regarding your daughter." He suddenly said with a frown. "I overstepped."

"You did." I agreed. "But you already apologized for being an asshole so you don't need too again."

"Where is Mónica?" I asked.

"She's in one of the vaults down in the basement." He said as he linked his arm with my own. "Can I take you too her so that you can help? Please?"

"I want to make sure she's alright just as much as you do." I said with a wink. "So in saying that...lead the way my friend."

"Oh so we're friends now?" He asked playfully as walked down towards the back set of stairs together.

"I suppose so." I said as I looked around at the unfamiliar area with a grin. "This is a new part of the mint that I've yet to explore."

"This is where we'll be getting out." He said with a smirk as we entered a hallway with one of the vaults sitting in the far left corner.

"We're getting out through the vault?" I asked in confusion. "That makes zero sense."

"Did Berlin not explain the plan to you?" He questioned seemingly perplexed by my words.

"The most he did was show me how Nairobi prints the money." I said with a sigh. "He was supposed to explain it all but I mouthed off to him and before I knew it we got preoccupied with other things."

"Preoccupied?" Denver asked with a chuckle. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing." I said dismissively.

"Come on!" He whined. "What do you mean?"

"Denver it's really nothing." I tried to say but he cut me off abruptly before I could finish.

"Paris I told you my secret." He whispered softly. "So why can't you tell me what you mean?"

"I slept with Berlin." I blurted out as I gauged his reaction.

"You fucked Berlin?!" He exclaimed as his face broke out into a knowing smile. "I knew it!"

"What the hell does _that_ mean?" I asked incredulously.

"I...uh...the guys on our team had a bet." He stuttered out.

"What bet?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes at him accusingly.

"Listen it's not a big deal." He said nervously. "It was a stupid joke."

"What bet?" I repeated.

"Rio made a comment to the guys that it was incredible how you can speak to Berlin without him shooting you on sight for it...and one thing led to another..and..."

"And?" I asked impatiently.

"And...I said that I thought Berlin and you would fuck...and I was right...but Rio disagreed...and then Helsinki agreed with me but Oslo and my father didn't...and before we knew it we were placing bets on if you would sleep with him or not..." He said hesitantly. "It was just supposed to be a bit of fun."

"That's great to hear that everyone on our team placed a bet on my sex life." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"I'm sorry Paris." Denver said. "I should've just kept my mouth shut."

"It's okay." I said genuinely. "Truly it is."

"It is?" He asked in shock.

"I mean I did threaten to kill you with a letter opener." I said with a chuckle. "So I suppose I can let the whole bet thing go."

"I guess you're right." He said.

"I know I'm right." I responded smugly as he shook his head in amusement.

"You're one of a kind Paris." He replied with a grin as he pushed open the door to one of the vaults which revealed his father and the woman who's "death" has caused a wave of problems for everyone trapped in here.

"Mónica." I said softly as I walked over to her. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better." She said with a weak smile.

"Have these boys been treating you well?" I asked her in an attempt to lighten the mood.

"They've been amazing." She replied.

"How'd you get away from the others?" I asked Moscow as I turned my head to face him while Denver closed the door to the vault. "Last time I checked it's not easy to escape from their watchful eyes."

"I said I needed to take a walk to prevent another panic attack." He said with a chuckle. "But you should know something."

"What?" I asked the older man.

"Berlin asked me where you were just moments before I arrived here." He said with a small frown. "He told me that The Professor was sending doctors into the mint and that they were arriving in less than twenty minutes."

"Thank god." I breathed out. "Arturo will survive then."

"Arturo?" Mónica asked abruptly. "What do you mean?"

"Mr. Román was shot earlier today." I said with a confused expression etched across my face. "Nobody told you?"

"No!" She exclaimed nervously. "Nobody told me! Is he going to be alright?!"

"He's going to be fine." I assured her. "He's stable right now and once the doctors come in and take out the bullet he'll be as good as new."

"Okay." She said hesitantly. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." I said with a small smile. "Now. Can I take a look at your leg?"

"Yeah." She replied as she moved onto her side so I could assess the damage that was done to her thigh.

"Denver why the hell did you shoot her in her upper thigh?" I sighed.

"Was that a bad choice?" He asked dumbfounded.

"Yes." I deadpanned. "It was an awful choice. I'll need a scalpel and some local anesthesia otherwise I can't help her."

"Where the hell are we going to get that?!" Denver exclaimed.

"The doctors." Moscow said. "They'll be coming into the building to perform surgery on Arturo. One of us has to go and take some of their supplies and bring it back here."

"I can't go." I said emphatically. "I'm still considered as a hostage so it'll look suspicious if I go and steal medical supplies."

"I'll do it." Denver said softly. "But you both need to watch her when I'm gone."

"We will. But Denver. You need to hurry." I said as he nodded his head and quickly made his way out of the vault.

An uncomfortable silence took over the room as all three of us looked at each other with nothing to say. But I mean how could we even start a conversation? We were three totally different human beings who have lived drastically different lives.

Mónica was a pregnant woman who worked as a civil servant in the Royal Mint of Spain.

Moscow was a criminal who had presumably spent most of his life in prison.

And I?

I was the woman who gave speech after speech to anyone that would listen about how I wouldn't surrender to Berlin but ultimately that was a lie because I let him use my body for his own pleasure and I felt like a hypocrite for doing so.

"You know?" Mónica said as she broke the silence in the room. "I'm six weeks pregnant and I'm more worried about _it's_ life than mine."

"Oh I wouldn't worry about that." Moscow said with a small grin. "It takes more then an infection to keep a child from being born healthy."

"He's right." I agreed. "My daughter is living proof of that."

"You have a daughter?" She asked.

"I do." I said with a chuckle. "Her name is Alexandria and she's five years old."

"Can you both tell me you're names?" Mónica asked softly.

"Moscow. My name is Moscow." He said.

"And I'm Paris Laurent." I said with a friendly smile.

"Well Moscow and Paris...tell me...what's it like being parents?" She asked us curiously.

"Being a parent?" Moscow asked. "Well...uh...what do I say? Being a parent is like having a huge pile of problems constantly being dropped on you for the rest of your life."

"Amen to that." I said with a chuckle.

"Basically you will be worried for the rest of your life." He said. "First it's a small cost. You'll find yourself going to the doctors every week instead of going to a bar."

"I don't mind that. I don't drink." Mónica said.

"Honey if I didn't have my wine then I don't think I could've survived the toddler stage." I snorted. "Trust me your opinion will change."

"You're missing out Mónica because once they've finally fallen asleep it feels so good to have a drink. And then there's school...it's...it's tough...because as a parent you don't want your kid to be the fool of the entire class...you don't want him to be bullied...but the thing is in my days my son was the actual bully...he was always getting expelled...I don't even know how many schools he went too...and then there was his mother...that poor thing...with her bad habits...and I mean poor me not her...she left us...but in the end you only want your child to be normal and that they don't live on the streets doing drugs instead of going to school...but being a parent is great...it's really great."

"It really is." I agreed. "Being a mother has made me a better woman."

"I was a selfish bitch before I had my baby. I didn't care about anybody else and I certainly didn't give a damn about myself but once I had my child? I learned to care for another human being. I have this unconditional love for my daughter that is like nothing I've ever felt before."

"That sounds amazing." Mónica said with a soft smile.

"It is." I confirmed.

"I was going to abort my child but I want to keep it now." She said. "I want to be a mother."

"A baby is the best gift you can ever receive and I know you'll be a great mom." I said as I grabbed her hand and squeezed it encouragingly.

"Someone's coming." Moscow said abruptly as he picked up his gun and aimed it at the door of the vault as it began to open.

"It's just me!" Denver exclaimed as he held out the supplies. "I got everything. I even managed to steal some gauzes and a needle with thread."

"Are the doctors conducting the surgery on Arturo?" I asked him.

"Yeah. They're almost done." He said with a nod as I grabbed the scalpel and the syringe from his hand.

"Let's do this then." I replied as I stabbed the needle into Mónica's thigh and I heard her shout out in pain.

"What the fuck Paris?!" Denver screamed. "You couldn't have given her a warning?!"

"No." I said emphatically as I used the scalpel to search for the bullet.

"Ah! _Mi amore_ you will be fine!" I exclaimed with joy as my eyes connected with the small piece of metal lodged in her leg.

"Get me some gauzes." I instructed to Moscow as he nodded his head and handed me the cloth.

"Denver I need you to hold her hand because this is going to fucking hurt." I said without remorse as I ripped the bullet out of her flesh and heard her screaming in pain.

"I'm sorry _chica_." I breathed out as I quickly began to stitch the wound up. "You'll be fine now. I'm almost done."

"What the hell is this?!" Nairobi shouted as she walked into the vault unexpectedly. "What are you doing?!"

"I'm saving her life." I said as I finished threading the needle through her skin.

"Nairobi please don't say anything." Denver pleaded.

"I...uh...Paris...Berlin is looking for you." She stuttered out.

"I'm coming." I said as I nodded my head and walked over to her.

"Make sure to watch her carefully Denver." I instructed him as I followed Nairobi out of the room.

"Do you want to tell me how she's alive?" She shot at me.

"Denver faked her death and he asked me to help." I said casually. "Are you going to snitch to Berlin about it?"

"No." She said sternly. "I _never_ wanted anybody to get killed so I'm not going to tell Berlin."

"Good." I said as she led me up the stairs and towards Berlin's office.

"Are you coming in with me?" I asked as I stood in front of his door.

"No. I'm going into the other room so that I can watch the news on the television." She replied as she began to walk away. "Good luck!"

"I'll need it." I called back out to her as I pushed the door open to the office and walked in.

"Paris." Berlin said smugly. "I'm glad that Nairobi was able to track you down although I must say it was rather rude of you to go missing during Arturo's surgery considering the doctors were only here because of you."

"Do you want me to apologize or something?" I asked sarcastically.

"Well that would be very nice but I have a sinking suspicion that you won't." He replied with a smirk.

"You'd be correct." I responded.

"I'm always correct." He retorted back.

"Berlin." Nairobi said as she suddenly barged into the room and we turned our attention to her. "Your face is on TV."

I immediately snapped my head towards him to meet his gaze.

"Come with me." He said sternly as I nodded my head and followed him out of the room and into the main office.

As soon as I stepped foot into the community room I was met with Berlin's face plastered on the television while a female news anchor began to speak.

_"The third robber that has been identified by the police goes by the name of Andrés De Fonollosa. Known for perpetrating numerous robberies at jewelry and luxury stores."_

_Andrés de Fonollosa?_ I questioned to myself. _Classy name._

Nairobi glared at the back of Berlin's head as he stood perfectly still with a blank expression on his face and listened to the woman speak.

_"Andrés De Fonollosa is also responsible for multiple sexual offenses. At this moment he is believed to be a leader of a crew of robbers who have taken over the Royal Mint. He is accused of establishing a human trafficking ring. Taking women from Eastern Europe, Albania, and Bulgaria to later sell."_

"What the fuck." I breathed out as I stared at the television in astonishment.

_I had slept with a pimp._ I thought to myself in disgust.

"Do you like the taste of Bulgarians? Huh? You take them for a test drive." Nairobi spat.

_"He's charged with multiple counts of trafficking women and the extortion of minors in addition to the charges of burglary and armed robbery as well as countless murders that have taken place over the last decade."_

"Minors? Minors?!" Nairobi said in disbelief. "You're a pig!"

Berlin's body remained motionless as he listened to the television but his eyes shot over to mine in a threatening stare. It was almost as if he was challenging me to believe what was being said about him. But how could I not? I barley knew him.

_"According to recent information, Fonollosa has eluded this last robbery charge thanks to his corporation as an informant for the police."_

"On top of that you're a snitch?" Nairobi said as she walked up to him and stuck her finger in his chest.

_"He has been identified by the police along with Silene Oliveira and Aníbal Cortes whom of which were discovered from a few strands of hair that were left on the front steps after the initial shootout with the police."_

Berlin lifted his gaze from the television and met Nairobi's eyes with a cold glare.

Before I even had the chance to speak he already had Nairobi on her back against his desk and wrapped his hand around her throat while slowly cutting off her breathing.

"Berlin!" I screamed as I watched the scene unfold before me.

Nairobi had tried to fight back while slapping not once but twice...causing his nose to blood profusely.

"I would never sell a woman, and definitely not children. That would violate my moral code. Same with ratting out a partner even if they were nothing more then _vial human waste_. It has nothing to do with my desires of taste Nairobi." He spat.

"Sure whatever you say." She choked out as he reluctantly let her go and focused his attention back on the woman speaking.

_"We are led to believe that Fonollosa is the robbers' spokesperson. His identity was discovered when a fingerprint from Andrés De Fonollosa was found on a button discovered by the police which officers found in a car that was linked to the investigation. The police departments' forensic team is searching for more DNA to determine the other identities of the rest of the robbers involved."_

"I was never inside that car. Although I do know someone who was." Berlin said darkly as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Paris? Nairobi? Do either of you know where Denver is?" He asked.

_Denver. Fuck._

"No." I said defiantly as Nairobi nodded her head in agreement.

"Very well." He said as he walked out of the room. "I'll find him myself."

"Berlin! Wait!" Nairobi pleaded.

"He didn't mean it! It was an honest mistake!" She shouted as we followed his figure out of the room.

"Denver!" Berlin shouted.

There was no response.

"Helsinki! Oslo!" He screamed.

"Yes?" Helsinki asked as Oslo and him looked at all of us in confusion.

"Find Denver and bring him to me." Berlin said sternly as they nodded their heads and walked off in separate directions.

"Berlin! Stop!" I screamed but he ignored my attempts to gain his attention.

"Denver! My friend! Come here!" Berlin screamed as he made his way into the warehouse.

"Berlin! For fucks sake! You're right!" Nairobi shouted as he stopped abruptly in his tracks. "Maybe Denver lost the button on your jacket when he borrowed it...but look...so what? You can't change that!"

"But I can punish him." He said darkly.

"Berlin!" Helsinki yelled as he made his way over to us with Oslo following closely behind. "He's not in the museum or in the office. He isn't in the tunnel or at the presses either."

"Did he go to the festival again?" Berlin asked Nairobi mockingly.

"Don't worry boys." He said as he turned his attention back onto the Serbians standing next to him. "I'll look."

"Berlin." Nairobi said as she walked in front of him. "Just think! You can't shoot him just because he took your jacket. That's just trashy but you have class!"

"What about my dignity Nairobi?" Berlin shot at her.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"I have a reputation to maintain." He explained. "My friends in the French Riviera have seen my name associated with those atrocities. Denver fucked with my honor. If someone fucks with my honor then I crush them. You get it? I'm talking about integrity. Huh? It's important to have ethics Nairobi but also aesthetics."

"I'm begging you." I said as I looked at him. "Don't hurt him."

"Please don't fuck up the plan." Nairobi said weakly.

"Helsinki." Berlin said as he gestured to us and walked away. "Shoot Nairobi if she gets too difficult but keep Paris alive."

"Berlin!" I screamed as I attempted to run after him but Helsinki pointed his gun into my chest.

"Don't you fucking dare point that thing at me!" I exclaimed in annoyance.

"Helsinki would you really shoot us?" Nairobi asked incredulously.

"No he won't." I said emphatically as I grabbed her hand and pushed past the man in front of us.

"Berlin come back here!" Nairobi screamed as we chased after him.

"Denver!" We heard a faint voice call out as we ran full speed towards the sound.

"Denver." Berlin said in a sing song voice as we caught up to him and followed him down the hall.

"What's going on?" Denver asked as he walked out of the bathroom.

_He was supposed to be with Mónica in the vault._

"What's going on?" Berlin repeated. "What's going on is my face has been all over the news lately. Do you know what they're saying about me?"

"No." Denver replied.

"They're saying I'm a thief and that's great." Berlin said as he stepped towards Denver. "But they're also saying that I sell whores and that I'm a trafficker. They're saying I abuse children. And it's all because of a button...a button you left in the car from my jacket you stole. Do you know what that means?"

"No I don't." Denver replied.

"You totally fucking destroyed my life." Berlin snarled.

"So that begs the question." He added. "What should I do with you?"

"I'm sorry I left the fucking button." Denver said. "Listen I'll give you 15 million of my cut for the button."

"For a button?" Berlin asked mockingly.

"For a button." Denver repeated.

"You know I was going to shoot off your foot as compensation but now I have a strong urge to put a bullet in your brain and I don't really know why." Berlin snarled.

"You don't need to do this." Denver pleaded.

"Take the money." Nairobi said. "Just take the 15 million and walk away."

"Berlin." Denver began to say but before he could finish his sentence he was cut off by the sound of a toilet flushing.

My face instantly fell as I realized who it was.

_Mónica._

"Berlin." Denver tried to say again but he was interrupted before he could finish.

"Shush." Berlin replied with a frustrated smirk as he made his way into the bathroom.

"You don't have too go in there..." Denver attempted to say.

I watched in fear as the man I had sex with no more then 10 hours ago began to knock on every stall door until he got to the third one and I internally sighed as Mónica's voice called out from behind the piece of wood.

"Denver?" She asked nervously. "Denver is that you?"

The smirk on Berlin's face grew wider as he grasped the doorknob and opened it.

Nairobi stared at me with a panicked look on her face as Mónica was revealed to the entire room.

"She was dead on Friday." Berlin said with a chuckle. "Today is Sunday."

"The day of resurrection!" He screamed with a crazy grin as everyone shook their heads in disbelief.

"Pardon me. I'll let you finish in peace. After all I wouldn't want to disturb your privacy." Berlin said as he closed the stall door and faced us yet again. "I have a confession for you Denver. When I saw her there...dead on the ground...something felt wrong."

"I can be impulsive." He said as he made his way to the mirror above the sink. "Yes. This temperament of mine. Of course this is a very uncomfortable situation that we need to find a solution for. But how?"

"On one side of the scale Denver you were bad." He added as Oslo and Helsinki walked into the room with their guns aimed at us. "You disobeyed me. I told you to kill her because that woman compromised our plan and you saved her. Then there's the button and that has plastered my face all over the television...in airports...and police stations. Which has effectively ruined my future. But then? On the other side of the scales you have this woman who's alive. I have to ask which side of the scale weighs more?"

I rolled my eyes as he whipped out his gun and pointed it at Denver just as Helsinki and Oslo did the same.

"Don't fuck with me Berlin this is not a Tarantino film." Nairobi said as she aimed her weapon at him. "Put down your gun."

"Nairobi put down the gun." Denver suddenly said as he placed his hand on top of her weapon.

"What?" She asked incredulously.

"Put down the gun." He repeated but just as Nairobi was going to question him again he swiped her gun out of her hands and held up his.

Denver was now pointing one gun at Oslo and the other at Berlin.

"Whose head are you going to blow off? Huh you psycho?" Denver seethed.

"Okay everyone relax." Nairobi said as she looked around. "Let's just put down all the guns...all of them. Berlin. Denver. All of you! Helsinki you tell your cousin."

"I'm done with all your orders and your fucking shitty speeches. Should I tell you what side of the scale weighs more? Should I?" Denver shouted.

"Wait Denver. Just relax." Berlin said smoothly as he opened up the stall door once again and aimed his gun at Mónica. "I'm gonna tell you. Don't move."

"Careful." Denver warned.

"No hear me out." Berlin responded.

"Berlin." I said emphatically as I began to move into the room.

"Berlin look at me!" I exclaimed as I walked up to him but he remained silent as I approached him and took his face in my hands.

"Please don't do this." I repeated softly as everyone else in the room visibly tensed at the physical affection I had just used. "Don't become the man they've accused you of being. If you're truly nothing like what they say then you can't kill her. You can't prove them right. Do you understand me Berlin?"

He slightly nodded his head as he turned his attention back onto Denver. "You wanna know what weighs more?"

"Berlin I'm not fucking around." Denver seethed. "This isn't a game."

"Life weighs more...Denver...life." Berlin said as he placed his gun back into his holster and I let out a sigh of relief.

"So at this time gentlemen let's put our weapons away." He added with a smirk as Helsinki and Oslo put their guns away at the sound of his words.

"There are certain occasions where life is a miracle and worth celebrating." Berlin said as he placed his arm around my waist and pulled me into his side.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Tokyo exclaimed as she came running through the door but her attention refocused onto Mónica and her face fell down in shock.

"Holy shit!" She breathed out. "She's alive?!"

"She is alive Tokyo." Berlin said.

"Listen as fun as this reunion has been...Berlin." She said. "You've got a call waiting from The Professor."

"That's wonderful news." He responded with a grin. "Denver take Ms. Gaztambide back down to the vault and keep her there until further notice."

"Why?" Denver asked in confusion.

"Arturo thinks that she's dead." I responded simply. "Berlin wants to hide her so to try and prevent Mr. Román from thinking we're weak."

"Very good Paris. You've been paying attention." Berlin said patronizingly. "Do you want a gold star?"

"No." I said with a fake smile. "But I would like a restraining order instead."

"I'm afraid that request is impossible to fulfill." He replied insincerely as his grip around my waist tightened.

"Let's go talk to The Professor." I said as I pushed his arm away from me.

"Eager to get away from me?" He inquired with a wicked grin.

"Yes I'm very eager." I said confidently as I felt his arm snake around my waist once again and his mouth lower itself towards my ear.

"You're mine Paris." Berlin whispered as everyone left the bathroom and made their way into the main office. "Never forget that fact."

"Fuck off you crazy bastard." I said emphatically as he picked up an apple from the fruit bowl on the table and answered the phone.

"Where were you?" The Professor asked sharply and I realized in that moment that I was close enough to hear the audio from the phone.

"I can hear you both." I commented with a smirk but Berlin ignored me.

"I'd say a sort of spiritual trip." Berlin explained as I rolled my eyes. "Honestly I'm a new man now."

"I'm glad because there's something important that you need to know." The Professor said. "I put your jacket button inside the car. You killed a hostage. You crossed the line and you needed to be punished."

"I'm hurt to hear that." Berlin said with a frown. "I'm very hurt. And frankly I find that to be extremely unfair."

"You see I want you to hear something." He added as he snapped his fingers in Oslo's direction and glared into the camera on the wall.

He let go of his grasp around my waist as he made his way beside Oslo whom had carried Mónica into the room bridal style.

"What's your name?" Berlin asked the young woman.

"I'm Mónica Gaztambide." She said nervously.

"And how are you?" He questioned.

"Fine." She said quickly.

"Are you alive?" He asked.

"I'm alive." She confirmed as Oslo began to walk away with her.

"And very pretty." Berlin called out as I scoffed inwardly. "Thank you."

"Now you see that you were unjust. You punished me for something that didn't even happen." He argued into the phone as he walked back next to me.

"I admire your confidence but I know she's not alive because of you and sadly there's no turning back." The Professor said. "Put Paris on the phone."

_Me?_

"Here." Berlin said as he handed the phone off to me.

"Why thank you." I said with a cocky smirk as I held the device up to my ear.

"Paris?" The Professor questioned.

"Yes?"

"I wanted to inform you personally that your daughter will be arriving inside of the mint in less than two days." He said with a small smile.

_Oh my god._

"Thank you." I breathed out. "Thank you so much."

"I should be the one thanking you. I know you had to have been the one to save Mónica Gaztambide's life."

"I didn't do much."

"You did enough." He said with appreciation laced in his voice. "And that's what matters. Now. Hand the phone back to Berlin."

"He wants to speak to you again." I said nonchalantly as I handed the phone off to Berlin again.

"What?" The man next to me questioned into the device.

"Although I know you are upset the good news for everyone is that thanks to this happy outcome regarding Ms. Gaztambide we can now proceed to _Plan Valencia_. So make sure that it all goes well." The Professor said as he hung up the call.

"Friends. We activate _Plan Valencia_." Berlin said with a smug grin as he placed the phone down and loaded his M-16 with ammo. _"Right now."_


	8. Chapter 8: We Are A Family Until Death.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _6:12 P.M._

_"Friends. We activate Plan Valencia." Berlin said with a smug grin as he placed the phone down and loaded his M-16 with ammo. "Right now."_

"What is _Plan Valencia_?" I asked in confusion.

"Do you know how to shoot a gun?" Denver asked.

"She does." Tokyo said. "She told Nairobi and I that she could."

"That's magnificent." Berlin said with a smirk.

" _Plan Valencia_ is a way to get the police in here." Rio explained.

"Why the hell would we want the police to come in here?" I asked incredulously.

"It will allow us to obtain the most crucial part of this heist." Moscow said.

"Which is?" I questioned.

"Time." Nairobi said emphatically.

"Time?" I repeated as I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Time allows us to print more money." She clarified.

"So what are we doing in order to get the police to come in here?" I asked curiously.

"We're going to shoot bullets into huge cardboard containers of paper while having the hostages scream at the top of their lungs." Tokyo said. "The police will hear the bullets firing and the screaming and they'll become worried about the safety of the innocent people trapped inside of here."

"After they become worried they'll ask for proof of life." Rio added. "And once The Professor tells me to I will send edited videos of the hostages speaking but they'll be able to tell it was tampered with."

"So they will have no choice but to come in here and waste 3 hours of their time checking meaningless names off of a list." Berlin said with a smirk.

"Clever." I commented.

"It is." Denver agreed.

"So." I said with a wink. "Do I get a gun?"

"Yes." He replied as Helsinki handed me a loaded M-16.

"This is perfect." I said smoothly as I inspected the weapon thoroughly.

"You aren't going to shoot any of us are you?" Rio asked jokingly.

"No." I said emphatically as I looked at Berlin out of the corner of my eye. "Well...maybe one person."

"You're not funny." Oslo said as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I find myself to be very funny actually." I said with a grin.

"Let's go." Berlin snapped impatiently as he held his gun close to his chest.

"We have some hostages to harass." I said with a wicked smile.

"Indeed we do." He agreed as he walked out of the room and indicated for us to follow.

"How can we allow Paris to shoot a gun when she's supposed to be a hostage?" Rio suddenly asked as we made our way down the hallway.

"She will be acting as if she's doing this under duress. Once we are close enough to the main hall we will roughly bring her in with us and she will throw a tantrum about having to shoot a gun. Therefore the rest of the hostages will think we are forcing her to act with us against her own will." Berlin explained cooly. "Is that understood Paris?"

"Understood." I said with a nod.

"Good." He said with a condescending smirk. "At least I know you're smart enough to follow my orders and you're not as much of an imbecile as I once thought."

_Did he just subtly call me stupid?_

"Well at least I'm not a pimp who sells children." I shot at him with a fake smile as I slowed down my pace so that I was now walking next to Denver.

"Hey best friend." I said with a grin.

"Best friend?" He questioned with a chuckle.

"Ugh you're right." I said with a playful groan. "That title belongs to Rio."

"Can I ask you something?" I suddenly asked as he nodded his head.

"Sure." He replied.

"Why would you take Mónica to the bathroom? I thought you would've been smarter then that." I said honestly.

"She begged me." He explained with a sad smile. "And I felt bad considering I was the one that shot her."

"You do realize you're capable of saying no right?"

"I couldn't...something about her just fascinates me and makes me want to help her." He admitted.

"What are you saying?" I asked him in confusion.

"Paris I think...I think I may have feelings for her..." He said hesitantly.

"What?" I asked breathlessly. "You can't...Denver you can't."

"What do you mean I can't?"

"You can't sleep with her." I said.

"Well Rio and Tokyo are fucking." He said with a dumbfounded shrug. "And Berlin and you are fucking. So what's the big deal if I sleep with Mónica?"

"Denver." I said disapprovingly. "You can't sleep with a hostage."

"Why not?" He snapped at me. "You were a hostage up until two days ago and Berlin is still sleeping with you."

"Keep your fucking voice down." I seethed as I looked around to see if anyone else had heard his words. "And for your information we've only slept together once. That's it."

"Yeah because that makes a difference." He said sarcastically.

"You shot her in the fucking leg after you were ordered to kill her. Do you really think you can build a relationship with someone after all of that shit?" I asked in disbelief.

"She said I was the best one out of all of us." He defended. "She said I was the kindest."

"Oh my god Denver don't you get it?!" I exclaimed in pure mortification as I gestured to Berlin walking confidently in front of us. "We work for Hitler reincarnated which makes us fucking Nazis."

"And don't get me wrong you may be one of the best Nazis here but that doesn't change the fact that you're still one of us." I added.

"I'm not a fucking Nazi." Denver retorted back.

"Oh no?" I asked mockingly. "Then what would you call us? Santa's little helpers?"

"Just shut the fuck up Paris." He shot at me as he made it a point to walk ahead of me. "Go ride Berlin's dick again and leave me alone."

"What a kill joy." I muttered underneath my breath as I felt a presence sneak up behind my body.

"So you're riding Berlin's dick?" Tokyo asked with a knowing smirk as she linked arms with me. "I knew it."

"I'm assuming you heard everything?" I asked as I rolled my eyes.

"Every last word." She confirmed. "Although I do have to admit that it took longer for you to finally give in to him then I originally expected it too."

"Thanks I think?" I asked in confusion.

"Women don't usually resist Berlin's charms." Tokyo explained. "Especially for as long as you did."

"Are you speaking from experience?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm with Rio." She said with a grin. "Remember?"

"Ah yes I remember all to vividly the moment you grabbed his hand like a dog marking it's territory." I recalled with a chuckle.

"Are you saying that you wouldn't do the same if a woman hit on Berlin?" She asked with a sly smile.

"No." I said emphatically. "I wouldn't do the same thing because Berlin and I aren't serious. We only slept together once."

"But you still fucked him." She replied with a wink. "Can I ask you something?"

"I suppose." I said with a shrug.

"How was it?"

"How was what?"

"How was _he_?" She clarified. "Was he good?"

_Why did it matter to her?_

"Why the fuck do you care?" I asked in irritation.

"I've always wondered." She said casually.

"He was..." I started to say but I trailed off into deep thought before I could answer her.

_Do I admit to her that the man that has terrorized me since the moment he took me hostage had given me one of the best sexual experiences of my life?_

"Honestly?" I said to her as I sighed and stared at the back of Berlin's head as we began to approach the main hall. "He was the best I've ever had."

"Really?" She asked skeptically.

"Really." I confirmed. "But I'd never dare to admit that to him."

"That's a wise choice." She said with a laugh. "He'd never let you forget it."

"I'm well aware." I said sarcastically.

"Paris come up here." Berlin shouted as my attention turned onto him.

"Your lover is calling." Tokyo said with a naughty grin as she pushed me into the direction of his body forcefully.

"He's not my lover." I muttered as Berlin's arms wrapped around my waist to steady me.

"What was that?" He asked curiously.

"Nothing." I snapped at him.

"I find that very hard to believe but none the less we have a job to do." He said as he unlatched his grip around my body and snatched the gun out of my hand.

"So come with me." He added with a patronizing smirk as he leaned his mouth down to my ear. "And try your best to pretend like you don't want to be near me."

"I won't have to try that hard." I retorted back.

"I'd beg to differ." He said with a cocky tone.

"Well I wouldn't." I shot at him.

"After we finish up in the warehouse I'd love for you to come visit me in my office."

"And why would I come visit you?"

"Don't you want to have some more fun?" He asked with a smirk.

"Yes she does!" Tokyo exclaimed from behind us. "She'll be there I'll make sure of it!"

"Are you kidding me?" I asked in disbelief as I turned my head to glare at her.

"What?" She asked with an innocent shrug.

"Tokyo knows?" Berlin questioned softly in my ear. "Did you tell her?"

"No I didn't say anything." I mumbled out. "Denver did."

"Denver?" He asked with a wicked grin. "Are you going around and telling people about it?"

"I only told Denver." I spit out bitterly. "And believe me when I say that right now I'm regretting it."

"Regretting telling Denver? Or regretting sleeping with me?" He challenged.

"Both." I answered simply.

"Let's go!" He snapped loudly as he roughly grabbed my arm.

_I guess we're done with our conversation._ I thought to myself sarcastically as I was dragged into the main hall.

"Hostages!" He screamed as Helsinki and Oslo aimed their guns at the group of people cowering in fear. "We're going to need your assistance so please follow us!"

"Now!" Denver yelled as he began to wave his gun around menacingly.

I rolled my eyes as Berlin led the way to the warehouse.

"We will be shooting our guns and while we're doing that all of you just have to scream." Nairobi shouted.

"Is that understood?" Berlin called out.

Soft murmurs of yes were heard throughout the room as Helsinki gave a triumphant grin.

"Good." He said with a chuckle as he turned to me. "I'm confident that all of you are capable of screaming as loud as you possibly can...some more then others."

"AH AH AH AH AH AH." Denver laughed as I narrowed my eyes at him.

_Is this what my life inside of here is going to consist of? Everyone making jokes about my poor decision to sleep with Berlin?_

I've had enough of this bullshit so I did what I do best.

I made a scene.

"My fellow hostages I'd like to announce something to you all!" I screamed out as Berlin tightened his grip on my arm warningly. "This man standing next to me had his identity leaked to the police! And guess what?!"

"He's a pimp who sells women and children." I spat out emphatically. "And he's a fucking rat who sold out his partners so don't let his _holier than thou attitude_ fool you because he is in fact a piece of fucking shit!"

"That's enough." Berlin growled as his hand left my arm and found its way around my throat; similar to the way he had attacked Nairobi just a mere hour ago.

"Berlin!" Rio exclaimed as the man being shouted at slammed me forcefully against the wall for everyone to see. "What the fuck?!"

"Did I strike a nerve?" I choked out with a smirk.

"I suggest you shut your mouth before things start to get very ugly for you." Berlin seethed.

"Let her go!" Tokyo exclaimed.

"This is _before_ things start to get ugly?" I asked incredulously as his grip on my throat tightened harshly.

"I am not a pimp nor have I ever sold a woman or a child." He said darkly as the entire room shuttered at the sound of his voice. "And if I hear one more person say that I did then their will be severe consequences. Is that clear?"

Nobody dared to respond.

"I said is that clear?" He repeated with an evil smirk.

"Yes." A woman I recognized to be Ariana the hostage Berlin was holding hands with on the first day here said.

"Great." Berlin replied as he winked at her and I inwardly scoffed.

_Seriously? Her?_

I rolled my eyes as her mouth visibly twitched up into a small smile at his actions.

_Why are you upset that she's talking to him?! You shouldn't be! We don't like him!_ My subconscious screamed at me but unfortunately I didn't listen.

"Perhaps I spoke too soon when I told you that I wouldn't go to your office for some fun." I whispered softly so only he could hear.

_You're a fucking idiot Paris._ I thought to myself.

Berlin looked at me with a curious glint in his eye as his mouth formed a wide grin.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you _mi reina_." He said smoothly.

"It's not jealousy." I countered.

"Then what would you call it?" He asked curiously.

"Drawing the line." I said with a casual shrug.

"Drawing the line is an interesting perception of the word jealousy."

"I told you that I'm not jealous." I said sharply.

"I don't believe you."

"I could care less."

"You're lying."

"Am I?" I questioned.

"Yes you are but unfortunately for me we have bigger things to do right now then to worry about your immature crush on me." He said with a smirk as he let go of me and turned his attention onto the others standing behind him. "Guns up!"

Tokyo and Denver lifted their guns up in less than a second and before I knew it Berlin had shoved a gun into my chest roughly which caused Arturo Román to furrow his eyebrows in confusion.

"Why does she get a gun?!" He exclaimed. "She's a hostage isn't she?!"

"Yes." Berlin replied. "But she is also my little toy and I want her to participate."

"I'm not helping you." I spat out.

"On the contrary...you are." He said with a wicked grin as he gestured his head to the two Serbians standing a few feet away from us.

"Пуцај." Berlin said casually and I watched in horror as Helsinki eagerly nodded his head and lifted his gun up to Arturo's forehead.

"You're going to help us otherwise Arturo over here will die." He said simply. "It's your choice."

"Don't! Please don't!" Arturo screamed. "Just help them Paris! Please just help them!"

"Fine." I said softly as I nodded my head in mock defeat. "I'll help you all."

"Wonderful choice." Berlin replied as Helsinki dropped his gun. "Now stand next to Denver and Tokyo and aim your gun at the targets."

"Yes my lord." I snarled sarcastically as I lifted my gun up.

"Start screaming!" Nairobi instructed to the hostages as their piercing cries began to start.

"FIRE!" Berlin screamed as he lifted his own gun and we all started shooting viciously.

"Scream louder!" Nairobi exclaimed as she danced around the hostages.

"Stop." Berlin snapped as we all immediately lowered our weapons.

He turned his head and smiled at me as the hostages' screams slowed down to a halt.

"Helsinki." Berlin said as he continued to smile at me. "Take the rest of the hostages back down to the main hall."

"Got it." Helsinki said as he escorted the terrified group of people outside of the warehouse.

"What do we do next?" Tokyo asked.

"We wait for The Professor's call that the police are entering." Berlin said simply.

"How long will that take?" I asked.

"Not very long. The police heard the shots and will be impatiently waiting to see if we've harmed any hostages." He said. "Now let's all make our way back to the office while we wait for the call."

"I don't want to walk anymore." I whined. "I've been walking all over this building forever."

"Let's go." Berlin snapped as he began to walk away without giving my statement so much as a thought.

"I don't want to walk anymore." I repeated as Rio began to chuckle. "Come on Paris."

"I can't." I said dramatically.

"Do you want me to carry you?" Oslo suddenly asked.

"You really would?" I asked in shock.

"Hop on my back." He said with a grin.

"Well alright then." I replied with a smile as he turned around and I hopped on his back while wrapping my arms and legs around his neck and waist.

"You're light." He commented.

"Oslo you sure know how to compliment a woman." I said jokingly.

"Women deserve compliments." He said genuinely.

"You're a sweetheart." I said as Tokyo laughed loudly next to us.

"Are you two best friends now?" She asked.

"Berlin and Helsinki like her so I like her." Oslo said emphatically.

"I love you Oslo." I cooed playfully as he began to chuckle and walk us out of the warehouse.

"In the war we'd have to carry three hundred pound men to safety if they got shot." He said as we made our way up the steps to the hallway containing the offices. "You are nothing compared to that."

"Well I'd hope not." I said as I rolled my eyes with a smirk.

"Helsinki told me that you slept with Berlin." Oslo said casually and I could see Tokyo try and stifle a laugh out of the corner of my eye. "Is that true?"

"Yes." I said reluctantly with a sigh. "But it was a mistake."

"I slept a woman once. She was a nurse in the war and sleeping with women who served as nurses was forbidden. I let her go because I convinced myself that she was a bad person. But in reality she was a good person who didn't show many people her true personality." He said with a frown. "I didn't stay with her because of a bullshit rule and the fact that I didn't take the time to try and get to know the "real" her. I regret that everyday. If you like Berlin then I say that you should go for it."

_Damn. Was he right?_

"That was very well said Oslo." Tokyo exclaimed.

"I don't know what to say." I said softly as he stopped in front of the door to the office and placed me back on my feet.

"You don't have to say anything Miss Paris." He said with a small smile. "You know what you have to do and I do not."

"Thank you Oslo." I said sincerely.

"Of course." He replied as he opened the door for Tokyo and myself.

"Think about what he said." Tokyo whispered to me as we made our way into the room and stood with the rest of the gang.

"Has The Professor called?" I asked.

"No." Nairobi said.

"Nope." Denver replied.

"Wait guys." Rio said as the phone began to ring and Berlin picked it up in the matter of a second.

"Hello?" Berlin asked into the device.

"Inspector Murillo is coming in right now." The Professor said quickly.

"What should we do with Paris?" Berlin asked.

"She will be acting like a hostage but have her stand with you all when the Inspector first arrives." The Professor said. "Give her a mask to wear."

"Understood." Berlin said as he hung up the phone.

"Friends." He said. "The Inspector is on her way so all of you grab your guns and your masks and make your way down to the entrance."

"Got it." Rio said as everyone grabbed their masks and scurried out of the room and towards the entrance.

"This is going to be a shit show." I grumbled as I placed my mask on my face and followed them out of the door.

"Hostages!" Berlin screamed as we made our way down to the main hall. "Follow Oslo upstairs. Now!"

"I said now!" He yelled as the hostages nervously followed Oslo up the stairs in uncertainty.

"She's walking in." Helsinki called out as he looked out the window.

"Everybody who has already been identified by the police do not need their masks." Berlin said.

"She's at the steps." Tokyo called out.

"Everyone get in your places." Berlin shouted as I stood next to him. "Guns up!"

I watched in fascination as the rest of the group stood behind us and pointed their guns at the door.

"When she walks in. Everybody will act according to the plan. Tokyo searches her and Rio looks for any recording devices. I will sit with the Inspector while Nairobi and the others bring the hostages down. One. By. One. Is that clear?" Berlin snapped.

"Clear." Helsinki said as everyone nodded their heads.

"Open the doors!" He yelled and I tensed as I saw Inspector Murillo make her way up the stairs.

"Hands up!" Tokyo snapped as the woman approaching us complied and watched the doors close behind her.

"Tokyo. Search the Inspector." Berlin said.

"Where's The Professor?" Raquel asked.

"He asked me to apologize. To preserve anonymity he can't be here. Considering his face isn't everywhere like ours are." Berlin said.

"She doesn't have a gun." Tokyo said as she walked back over to us.

"Rio." Berlin said. "Your turn. Do the honors."

Rio silently nodded as he took a small electronic device out of his pocket and walked over to the Inspector.

"Forgive us but we need to be thorough." Berlin explained with a fake smile.

"Uh." Rio stuttered as his device starting beeping furiously when he waved it in front of her crotch.

"Raquel." Berlin said in a patronizing tone. "They say the police aren't stupid but I don't know. Did you really think you could sneak in a recording device?"

"And you thought they wouldn't try and ensure my safety?" She asked.

"Tokyo search the Inspector again but this time do it with a little more of that enthusiasm we know you have." Berlin said as Rio chuckled.

"Gladly." She said as she walked over to her and unfastened her belt.

Raquel visibly rolled her eyes as Tokyo shoved her hand down her pants.

_This is humiliating to watch._ I thought to myself.

"Oh." Tokyo said as she pulled a small device out of Raquel's pants.

Berlin hummed in approval as she handed it to him to inspect.

"This parts my favorite...the latest and cutting edge technology...get rid of it." He said to Rio as he handed the device to him.

"Follow us if you'd be so kind." He added as he led everyone into the main entrance of the building.

" _Follow us if you'd be so kind_." I muttered mockingly underneath my breath.

"Helsinki go back to Oslo and get our guests ready. Nairobi go back to work. Denver go check on Moscow. Tokyo and Rio will escort them down." Berlin ordered as they all nodded and walked off into different hallways.

"Our hostages are some of our most helpful companions." He said as he gestured to me. "This young woman will be helping you while we prepare the rest of our guests to come and see you."

"Please. Have a seat." I said as I ushered Inspector Murillo towards the two chairs that stood in the middle of the room.

"Are you doing okay?" She asked me quickly.

"I'm doing as okay as I'm expected to be considering the circumstances." I lied as she nodded her head.

"I just really miss my daughter." I added honestly.

"You have a daughter?" She questioned.

"Yeah." I said as my voice faltered a bit. "She's five years old."

"I have a daughter around that age as well." Raquel answered with a sad smile. "I know how hard it must be for you to be separated from her."

"It makes me feel like I'm hardly able to breathe." I said as she nodded her head in understanding.

"Is your daughter with her father?" She asked.

"That motherfucker doesn't want anything to do with her." I said bitterly. "He handed her over to my abusive mother because he wanted to spend time with his new wife."

"My ex is a motherfucker as well." Inspector Murillo said as I chuckled lowly. "He used to hit me."

"I'm sorry." I said softly. "I know what it's like to be hit by someone you trust and it's completely heartbreaking."

"That it is." She said sadly.

"The Professor said you asked for coffee. So I brought you decaf. We don't want you losing sleep." Berlin interrupted as he walked over to the tray that stood on one side of the room and he grabbed the cup of coffee for her.

"Thanks." Inspector Murillo said in a monotone voice as she took the cup from his hands and sat down.

"Lets start with the proof of life." Berlin said as he sat down. "Come foreword!"

"For starters we have Arturo Román. The mint's director of operations." He explained.

"You're bringing the hostages one by one?" Raquel questioned.

"Mhm that's right." Berlin said as Tokyo and Rio led Arturo down the steps. "So it's easier for you to keep track of them."

"Oh." Raquel replied.

"Arturo!" Berlin exclaimed with a smile. "How are you my friend?!"

"Fine." He said quietly.

"This lady is Ms. Raquel Murillo. The Inspector who ordered to have you shot. But don't be frightened we inspected her exhaustedly and she's unarmed. Please Raquel be gentle with him. Arturo is a very sensitive man and he's a bit traumatized." Berlin said with a chuckle.

"How are you doing Arturo?" Inspector Murillo asked.

"I've...I've had better days." Arturo responded weakly.

"I want to apologize on behalf of the police and myself of course. We made a terrible mistake and I hope you get better soon." She said genuinely as he nodded silently.

"Yeah." Raquel choked out. "Bring the next one."

"No." Berlin said dramatically as Tokyo took Arturo back up the stairs. "Please don't be impatient. We're giving you the courtesy to interview each one of our guests."

"I'm sorry but I can't spend all day in here." Raquel said.

"Well that's really a shame. I was starting to get my hopes up." He said as he turned his head to me and I slowly took off my mask. "Next we have this fine young lady."

"My name is Paris Laurent." I said with a small smile.

"You're the woman who ran out of the mint on the first day here." Raquel said in shock. "Why would you do such a thing?"

_Fuck. What do I say?_

Berlin's eyes stared deeply into my own seemingly trying to communicate a message to me.

_Improvise._

"They told me if I didn't comply that they'd kill my daughter." I said as I forced my bottom lip to tremble. "I was scared."

"I understand." Raquel said softly.

"I'm so sorry." I cried out as a tear slipped down my face. "I didn't mean to help them I was just terrified."

"It's okay. I promise." She assured me as Berlin looked at me with a proud smile etched across his face.

"Take her upstairs and put her in my office. Keep the others away from her." Berlin ordered as Rio shuffled his way down the steps and grabbed ahold of my arm.

"Why is she being separated from the other hostages?" Raquel questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"She has been trouble for my team and myself since the beginning of our little "trip" so I've made the executive decision to limit her contact with the others." He replied cooly as Rio led me up the stairs.

"How did it go?" He whispered softly as we turned the corner and made our way into the hallway. "Did she believe you were a hostage?"

"I think she did but we can't be too sure." I said as he nodded his head in understanding.

"Where are you taking me Rio?" I asked him curiously as he led me into an unknown room.

"I want to show you something." He said with a grin as he flipped on a light switch and closed the door behind us.

"What is this place?" I asked incredulously as the lights turned on and it revealed a large piano along with multiple pieces of art and computers that lined the walls and tables.

"This is where I come to be alone." Rio said softly as he grabbed my hand and ushered me further into the room. "I figured that you've been surrounded with all these guns and with Berlin since you've arrived here and you haven't gotten much time to be alone so I brought you here."

"You're sharing your safe space with me?" I asked with a small smile.

"You saved my life." He said sincerely. "So we're friends now and as your friend I want to help you."

"You're amazing Rio." I said sincerely. "Tokyo is lucky to have such an amazing young man."

"If I didn't know any better I'd think you were hitting on me." He said cheekily.

"Oh my darling." I said with a playful chuckle. "I love you but unfortunately you're not my type. You're much too young for me. I like my men how I like my wine."

"I'm aware." Rio said with a laugh. "I've heard the rumors. Apparently your type is men like Berlin."

"Has the whole world found out?" I asked in an exasperated tone of voice.

"Well..." He said as he trailed off. "I heard it from Tokyo...and Tokyo heard it from Denver...and Denver heard it from you."

"So I guess the whole world doesn't know _yet_." He added.

"That's just wonderful." I said sarcastically. "Everyone knows I bedded the psycho."

"Helsinki and Oslo don't know." He defended. "Neither does Nairobi or Moscow."

"You're telling me that Tokyo wouldn't tell Nairobi?" I asked in disbelief. "Or that Denver wouldn't gossip about me to his father?"

"Well..." He said hesitantly. "I'm not sure."

"I'd bet money that everyone will know in a matter of hours." I said as I rolled my eyes.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course." I replied.

"Do you genuinely like Berlin?" He asked as the words echoed in my head like a boomerang.

_Did I like Berlin?_

_I don't know._

_Did I?_

"Why?" I suddenly asked.

"Tokyo and I saw how you acted when Berlin interacted with that hostage."

_Ariana._ I thought to myself as the realization of his words hit me like a bus.

"I don't like him." I said emphatically. "But I will admit to you and you alone that it bothered me when he acted like that towards her."

"Paris." Rio said with a small frown. "People don't get upset like that unless they like the person involved."

"I don't know how I feel." I admitted. "I hate him. I hate his smug attitude and I hate that he thinks he has some unspoken control over me. But. For some reason I'm drawn to him like a moth to an open flame and no matter what I do I can't get rid of the unwavering feeling that I need him."

"I understand what you feel like." He said. "Tokyo is a lot older then me."

"Fifteen years to be accurate." He added as he took a seat at the bench in front of the piano and began to play a soft verse on the keys. "But she makes me feel the most alive that I've ever felt."

"You play?" I asked quietly.

"My parents didn't enjoy the fact that I was always hauled up in my room on my computer so they forced me to learn how to play piano as a way for me to get out of the house." He explained. "It ended up being a way for me to get rid of stress so I continued it."

"I write my own songs to relieve stress." I admitted. "But I never learned to play an instrument."

"Do you sing?" Rio asked.

"Yes. Although I'm not very good." I said with a low chuckle.

"Let's test out that theory." He said with a smile. "I play and you sing."

"I don't know about that." I said nervously. "The only songs I've ever written were about my divorce. They're dark."

"Just try and sing for me." He pestered. "Please?"

"Fine." I said with a groan. "But don't say I didn't warn you."

"Is there something specific you want me to play?"

"No I'll just change the flow of my lyrics around so it matches with the set you play." I said as he nodded his head and began to press the keys so that it formed a slow ballet.

_I tried to talk to my piano_

I sang out as Rio looked at me with a soft smile.

_I tried to talk to my guitar_   
_Talked to my imagination_   
_Confided into alcohol_   
_I tried and tried and tried some more_   
_Told secrets 'til my voice was sore_   
_Tired of empty conversation_   
_'Cause no one hears me anymore_

_A hundred million stories_   
_And a hundred million songs_   
_I feel stupid when I sing_   
_Nobody's listening to me_   
_Nobody's listening_

I looked behind us as I watched Nairobi and Denver slowly file into the room with shocked looks on their faces as they watched Rio play and listen to my words.

_I talk to shooting stars_   
_But they always get it wrong_   
_I feel stupid when I pray_   
_So, why am I praying anyway?_   
_If nobody's listening_

_Anyone, please send me anyone_   
_Lord, is there anyone?_   
_I need someone, oh_   
_Anyone, please send me anyone_   
_Lord, is there anyone?_   
_I need someone_

_I used to crave the world's attention_   
_I think I cried too many times_   
_I just need some more affection_   
_Anything to get me by_

_A hundred million stories_   
_And a hundred million songs_   
_I feel stupid when I sing_   
_Nobody's listening to me_   
_Nobody's listening_

I flinched slightly when I felt Nairobi's arms wrap around my body comfortingly as I continued to sing.

_I talk to shooting stars_   
_But they always get it wrong_   
_I feel stupid when I pray_   
_Why the fuck am I praying anyway?_   
_If nobody's listening_

_Anyone, please send me anyone_   
_Lord, is there anyone?_   
_I need someone, oh_   
_Anyone, please send me anyone_   
_Oh, Lord, is there anyone?_   
_I need someone_   
_Oh, anyone, I need anyone_   
_Oh, anyone, I need someone_

I took in a deep breathe as I struggled to say the last words.

_A hundred million stories_   
_And a hundred million songs_   
_I feel stupid when I sing_   
_Nobody's listening to me_

_"Nobody's listening."_ I sang out weakly as tears fell down my face at a rapid pace.

"You're amazing." Denver said softly.

"Spectacular." Nairobi added.

"Breathtaking." Rio finished. "Absolutely breathtaking."

"Not that I'm disappointed to see you both." I said as I wiped my face. "But why are you here?"

"Berlin wanted us to come and get you." Denver said.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Put on a mask and take a gun with you." Nairobi ordered. "He wants you to stand with us as the Inspector finishes interrogating the hostages."

"Won't Murillo realize it's me?" I asked.

"No. Not if you don't speak. So that's why you need to remain silent no matter how hard it is." She said.

"Let's go." Rio said as he stood up from the bench and handed me his mask while beginning to walk towards the door.

"Let's go." I repeated as I placed the mask over my face and grabbed the gun Denver held out to me.

"How many hostages do you have left?" I asked as we all began to walk down the steps to the main hall.

"Allison Parker." Nairobi said quietly. "That's it."

"I want to see Allison Parker." I heard Raquel say as we all made our way over to Berlin, Tokyo, and her.

"And if not? Are you gonna arrest us?" Tokyo asked with a smirk.

"I want to see Allison Parker." She repeated as she took a step foreword.

"Hey please ladies calm down it's a little early for the mud bath and the bikinis. Don't you think?" Berlin asked with an amused smirk as I stood silently next to Rio.

"Look since I've walked in here all you've done is play with me." She said as everyone began to laugh at her words.

"I had higher expectations for someone who only have a couple months left to live." She added as she stared at Berlin with a glare.

_What?_ I asked myself as I whipped my head in her direction.

"What's she talking about?" Rio asked confused as Berlin looked down at the ground with a blank expression etched across his face.

"What the fuck is this?" Tokyo asked.

"He has an extremely aggressive degenerative disease with a life expectancy of 14 to 25 months." Raquel said as I clenched my jaw from behind my mask.

"It's possible that his muscles are already starting to paralyze. He would be getting spasms and hand trembles. Have you noticed how hard it is to hold your gun?" She asked Berlin as his eyes stayed focused on the ground.

_The psychopath who didn't show empathy for anyone had been rattled by the inspector's words._

He looked at me one last time before he walked away without saying a word and I sighed deeply at his antics.

"I'm sorry about that. I thought that there was no secrets between you and that you were friends?" Inspector Murillo said insincerely.

"We are." Rio said.

"I want Allison Parker now." I heard her say as I chased after Berlin.

As soon as I turned the corner I ripped off my mask in one fluid motion.

"Berlin!" I screamed as I moved towards his stoic figure standing completely still in the middle of the hallway.

"Berlin." I repeated as I maneuvered my body in front of him but before I could say anything else he whipped out his gun and pointed it straight at my head.

"Is it true?" I asked him incredulously as I ignored the weapon being held out in front of my face.

His mouth didn't move nor did it say anything but his eyes told the overwhelming and painful truth that Inspector Murillo wasn't lying.

_Berlin was in fact dying._

"Andrés." I said softly as I saw him visibly flinch from my use of his real name. "Are you okay?"

He stared at me with an emotionless expression on his face as he slowly lowered his gun and placed it back into his holster.

"Are you okay?" I repeated.

I didn't get a response.

Instead he pulled me into a hug and I immediately wrapped my arms around his neck as he picked me up in the air and held me tight against his body.

_This was the first comforting embrace we had ever shared._ I thought to myself.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" I asked him sadly as I felt him walk us both into his office and close the door.

"I didn't think it was anybody's business and I didn't want to talk about it." He replied as his grip on me tightened.

"You should've told your team. People care about you." I said as I jumped down from his grasp and stood in front of him.

"Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Do you care about me?" He asked.

_Did I?_

"I don't know...I think so." I admitted as a small grin graced his lips. "Sometimes I really fucking hate you...but then there's other times that I feel a connection to you that I just don't understand."

"I understand." He said with a nod as a strange silence enveloped the room.

"I'm scared." He suddenly blurted out. "I'm not afraid of dying but I am afraid of dying alone."

"Do you have family?" I asked.

"I have a brother." He said as a genuine smile overtook his face. "I raised him."

"What do you mean?" I questioned curiously.

"We are half brothers. We have the same mother but totally different fathers. There was a small age gap between us and my brother was very sick as a child which resulted in him needing expensive medical care. His father had struggled to pay for it all and as a solution he had attempted to rob a bank but he was shot on sight by the police." Berlin explained as a small gasp left my mouth. "My brother was only thirteen at the time and I was twenty so I took over his care because my mother was incapable."

" _That's_ the reason why I had became a thief. It was to pay for his medical bills and eventually I had learned to love the art of stealing." He added. "If circumstances had changed perhaps I would've become something different but unfortunately that wasn't my destiny."

_Holy shit._

_He wasn't a monster._

_He wasn't a bad guy._

_He was a man who tried to keep his brother alive._

_He was a human underneath the facade he put out to the world._

"I think you're a hero." I said sincerely as I looked into his eyes. "You saved your brothers life by choosing to steal."

"I don't usually admit when I'm wrong." Berlin said as he chuckled sarcastically. "But I do apologize for how I've treated you Paris."

"I wasn't exactly a saint myself." I said as I let out a chuckle of my own.

"Come with me." I blurted out as he tilted his head curiously.

"What?" He asked.

"Come on." I said as I held my hand out.

"We are we going?" He asked incredulously.

"We're going to tell the rest of the team that what Inspector Murillo said is true. You should get it over with." I said emphatically. "You're never going to want to talk about it so you might as well just do it."

"Fine." He said he grabbed my hand and we walked out of the room and made our way into the main office.

"What's up?" Nairobi asked as everyone looked at us silently.

"I have something to say to you all." Berlin said.

"After some deep reflection I want to apologize for not being completely honest with you. The inspector was right. I have a degenerative disease...a real motherfucker _."_ He continued as I held onto his hand tightly.

"My days are numbered. But. It's not my intention to make you sad or for you to feel pity either. In my case we're talking about a disease suffered from one out of one hundred thousand people. And that makes me special." He said as he broke away from my grasp and poured vodka into small glass tubes.

_You are special._ I thought to myself.

"What I want is to invite you to celebrate." He said as he handed out the glasses to everyone.

"Rio?" He asked as Rio looked up at him from across the room.

"Please come join us." He said as he wrapped his arm around my waist and Rio walked over.

"We're all gonna die. And I'll drink to that. Because right now we're alive." Berlin said as we all nodded our heads slowly.

"And because the plan is going really well." He added with a smirk.

"Yeah." Denver said as he began to laugh.

"To life." Berlin stated proudly as he raised his glass.

"To the plan." I said as I raised my own glass with him.

"And to friendship." Rio called out as we all nodded our heads in unison and downed the liquid that was in our hands.

"No matter how much we fucking detest each other at times and no matter how often we fight doesn't change the fact that this right here?" Nairobi asked as we all stared at each other in silence. "This is a family."

" _We_ are a family." She said emotionally as Berlin's arm tightened around my waist.

"We are family." Rio repeated with a small smile.

"We are a family." Tokyo agreed.

"We are a family." Moscow vocalized.

"We are a family." Helsinki said with a nod.

"We are a family." Oslo voiced out.

"We are a family." Denver exclaimed with a chuckle.

"We are a family." I said sincerely as everyone's eyes refocused onto Berlin while seemingly waiting for him to also participate in the touching moment.

"We are a family." He said emphatically with his trademark smirk still etched across his face. "Until death."  
  


_We are a family until death._


	9. Chapter 9: It's A Game Of Survival.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _8:47 P.M._

"We are a family." Berlin said emphatically with his trademark smirk still etched across his face. "Until death."

"We have to make it out of here alive." Denver said. "We just have too."

"Agreed." Helsinki said as we all nodded ours heads.

"Everyone go back to your posts." Berlin said. "We will regroup in the tunnel in an hour to check on Moscow's progress with digging. Is that clear?"

"Yes." Tokyo said.

"Good. Go." He snapped as everyone except Rio quickly left the room.

"Can I talk to you Paris?" Rio suddenly asked.

"Of course." I said sincerely as I walked over to him. "What's up?"

"The police offered me a deal." He blurted out as my face went blank.

"Are you going to take it?" I asked with a frown.

"I'm not sure." He said honestly.

"You can't betray your friends Rio." I said emphatically.

"What friends?" He asked. "My friends with city names?"

"Berlin, Paris, Denver, Moscow, Tokyo, Nairobi, Helsinki, and Oslo." Rio said with a sarcastic chuckle. "I don't even know their real names."

"You know my real name." I said sternly. "I'm Paris Laurent. The woman who risked her own life for this team and the woman who played nurse when _you_ got shot."

"Paris you know what I mean." He said with a frown.

"No I don't know what you mean." I snapped as I shook my head in disbelief. "These people in here have risked their lives for this mission and now you might betray them?!"

"My daughter is coming here! And you're going to destroy the plan!" I screamed.

"You don't even know the plan!" He yelled in my face. "You weren't here! You've been here for three minutes! Three lousy minutes! So don't sit here and act like you've put anything on the line to be here!"

"I sacrificed my whole life for this...for them...for you." I said lowly. "And now you're going to betray us?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do." He said softly.

"Think hard about what choice you're going to make because if you choose to betray us I promise you that one day I will find you and when I do I'm going to kill you." I said with an emotionless tone of voice as I walked out of the door leaving him to sit alone in the empty room.

"Paris!" Nairobi yelled as she ran over to me. "Moscow reached dirt! That means we're going to get out of here!"

"What?!" I exclaimed in joy. "That's amazing!"

"I know!" She said with a huge smile on her face. "Berlin sent me to tell you."

"He did?" I asked.

"Yeah. He also wanted me to tell you to come and find him." She added.

"Great." I sighed as I began to walk away from her. "I guess I should go."

"He's in his office." Nairobi called out as I nodded my head and moved down the hall towards his office door.

"Berlin?" I asked as I knocked on the wood placed in front of me.

"Come in." He called out as I pushed open the door and walked inside of the room.

"Nairobi said you wanted to see me." I explained as I was met with Moscow and Berlin standing a few feet away from the desk.

"Yes. The Professor wanted me to inform you that you will no longer be acting as a hostage." Berlin said casually. "You will now officially become one of us."

"Does that mean I get a gun?" I asked with a smirk.

"No." He responded.

"Why not?" I questioned.

"Because I said so." He replied.

"Give me a gun." I stated sternly.

"No." He said.

"Tell me no one more time and I'll slit your throat." I threatened.

"No." He said with a chuckle.

"Guys!" Denver screamed as he bursted through the door with Tokyo by his side.

"What?" Moscow asked.

"The hostages! They're trying to escape!" He yelled. "They're by the warehouse!"

"Fuck!" I screamed.

"Go get Helsinki and Oslo! Now! Go!" Berlin ordered.

"Okay!" Denver shouted as he ran out.

"Can I have a fucking gun now?!" I snapped as Berlin sighed and handed his extra handgun to me.

"What the hell is happening?!" Nairobi asked as she stormed into the room.

"The hostages are trying to escape in the warehouse." Tokyo explained as she zipped up her vest.

"Fuck." Nairobi said as she grabbed her gun.

"Let's go stop them." Berlin said as everyone ran down the steps to the entrance of the warehouse.

"Get down!" I screamed as Berlin pulled me behind a stack of crates as the bomb on the wall exploded leaving a giant hole big enough for anyone to slip through.

"Fuck!" Tokyo screamed.

"Helsinki! Get the makeshift wall! We need to cover that hole!" Berlin yelled. "Fire on my command!"

"One...two...three...FIRE!" He screamed as everyone hid behind crates and started firing at the police that were quickly approaching the building.

"Get the wall up!" Tokyo screamed as Helsinki and Oslo worked to lift it up.

"Get the pegs!" Nairobi shouted as I reached over and grabbed the wooden blocks.

"Here." I said as I handed them to her.

"Hold it still!" Moscow snapped as he struggled to drill the pegs into place.

"Dammit!" Helsinki yelled as he fell to the floor in a heaping mess.

"Helsinki!" Nairobi screamed.

"Guys the wall is falling! Get out of the way!" Denver screamed as the metal slab fell onto the ground.

"Keep shooting!" Rio yelled.

"They're coming too fast!" Tokyo shouted. "We need a plan!"

"Just keep shooting!" Helsinki screamed from the ground.

"Berlin." I said as he stopped shooting and turned to me. "I need you to cover me."

"What for?!" He exclaimed impatiently as he lifted his gun and shot four bullets in the direction of the police.

"This is probably the stupidest decision I've ever made in my life." I admitted as I lifted my gun and started shooting at the hole.

"What the fuck are you doing Paris?!" Berlin screamed as I stood up and ran behind the crate where Tokyo was hiding.

"Tokyo!" I exclaimed. "I have an idea."

"What is it?" She asked as she looked at me with crazy eyes.

"One of us needs to get the machine gun." I said as she looked at me with a smile.

"You're fucking brilliant." She shouted with enthusiasm.

"It's party time." I said as she let out a chuckle at my words.

"It's party time." She repeated as she ran towards the rolling crate and I stood in front of her while I shot at every cop I could possibly see.

"Paris! Get down!" Berlin screamed.

"I can't do that." I said as I shook my head.

"Fucking get down!" He screamed again.

"I'm sorry _mi amor_ but I won't listen to your orders." I said sarcastically with an unapologetic smile.

"Get out of the way!" I heard Tokyo shout as she rolled the machine gun out and began to shoot bullet after bullet towards the hole on the wall.

"Get the wall up!" Moscow yelled.

"Nairobi get Helsinki up now! We need you to help us!" Berlin roared.

"Cover me!" I screamed as I dodged a bullet that was aimed for my abdomen. "Fucking cover me!"

"We need the drill!" Rio yelled as Helsinki and Denver pushed the wall up halfway.

It felt like I was watching a slow motion action film when I saw a stray bullet fly through the small opening between the hole in the wall and the piece of metal that the team was struggling to hold up.

I snapped my head in disbelief as I realized the bullet was aimed directly for Berlin's head.

_No._

I repeated in my head countless times and before I could recognize what I was doing I had already started moving towards the man in danger.

"What are you doing Paris?!" Moscow shouted incredulously.

"Berlin! Move!" I screamed desperately as I shoved him out of the way and I immediately felt a searing pain go through my body.  
  


_And that's when I knew that I had been shot._


	10. Chapter 10: Do You Even Hear Yourself Berlin?

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _9:42 P.M._

My body fell to the ground as I groaned out in excruciating pain.

"Paris!" Tokyo screamed in fear as she attempted to run over to me.

"No!" I choked out while effectively stopping her in her tracks. "Get the wall up!"

"Paris." Berlin said as he knelt down beside me and grabbed my hand. "I'm here."

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly.

"I'm fine." He said as I let out a sigh of relief I didn't know I was holding.

"You saved my life." He commented with a blank stare.

"I just wanted to be a hero again." I coughed with a smirk as he let out a low chuckle.

"You saved a dying man." He said as he shook his head in disapproval. "You are a fool."

"Perhaps." I said as I groaned out in pain yet again.

"How bad is it?" I asked him as I stared into his eyes. "Berlin...tell me..."

"The bullet went straight through your shoulder." He said bluntly. "You're losing a lot of blood."

"You need to help them put the wall up." I said softly. "Go."

"No." He said emphatically. "I'm not leaving you to bleed out on the floor."

"Berlin!" I exclaimed. "You need to help them! Otherwise we're all dead anyway!"

"No." He repeated as he gently lifted my body up and into his arms.

"Fuck." I screamed out as an overwhelming amount of pain consumed me.

"Shush _mi amore_." Berlin whispered into my ear softly as he began to stroke my hair and walk us out of the warehouse.

"Berlin where are you going?!" Nairobi shouted as they gang finished drilling the metal slab to the wall.

"I'm going to make sure Paris doesn't die." He snapped as he turned the corner without waiting for her to respond.

"Helsinki!" Berlin yelled. "Come with us!"

"I'm getting blood on your jumpsuit." I faintly pointed out and I felt his chest shake as he chuckled at my words.

"I'm here." Helsinki breathed out breathlessly as he ran to catch up with us.

"You should feel ashamed Paris. You've effectively ruined my clothing." Berlin said with a smile as he kicked open the door to his office and placed me on the couch.

"I'm sorry that I can't control my gunshot wound that I got by saving your ass." I snapped at him playfully.

"Helsinki." I said as I turned to him. "Do you know how to stitch up a wound?"

"Yes." He said softly. "I learned in the war."

"Good." I said with a small smile. "Go grab the first aid kit."

"Okay." He said as he walked across the room and quickly took the first aid kit from the desk.

"Do whatever you have to do." Berlin said sternly. "I don't care if you have to wash her shoulder out with old soap. Just save her."

"I understand." Helsinki said as he nervously pulled out a needle, thread, rubbing alcohol, and some gauzes.

" _Helsi_." I breathed out. "I'm afraid of needles."

"You were a nurse." He said dumbfounded.

"I can use a needle on other people but I...I...I...can't...I freak out when I see a needle being used on me." I admitted.

"Don't worry." Helsinki said encouragingly as he began to thread the needle. "I promise that I'll try my best so you won't even feel it."

"Look at me." Berlin said as he grabbed my chin and softly turned my head towards him. "Focus on me."

I slowly began to nod my head but Helsinki dumping out what felt like a gallon of rubbing alcohol on my wound abruptly destroyed the little peace Berlin had instilled in me.

"Fuck!" I screamed out in pain as the alcohol burned the open flesh that laid on my shoulder due to the bullet.

"Helsinki stitch her up." Berlin ordered sharply but before I could interject he quickly placed his lips onto my own in a searing kiss.

I knew it was his way to distract me from the fact that a needle was currently being poked into my sensitive skin but for some reason I couldn't help but feel the need to respond.

I sighed in contentment as I moved my lips with his own and the world began to drift away. Oddly enough all I could focus on was Berlin and the way he gently held me as Helsinki worked to save my life.

It's ironic.

I hated Berlin from the moment he stepped foot into the mint but now?

Now I'm not sure how I feel about the man holding onto me. I was utterly confused yet completely consumed by everything he did.

I fought the urge to moan softly as he deepened the kiss and I felt him smirk at my visible disappointment when he slowly pulled his face away.

"Paris." He whispered. "Helsinki's finished."

"What?" I asked softly as I turned my head and saw Helsinki packing the first aid kid back up.

"I finished a couple minutes ago." Helsinki said with a grin. "Although I doubt you even realized it at the time."

"Oh my god." I breathed out in pure embarrassment.

"Paris." Berlin said as I felt him pick up my body in his arms. "We should go get you something to eat so you can take some pain medication. Okay?"

"Okay." I said as I nodded my head and watched as he brought me across the hall and into the main office with Helsinki following closely behind.

"How is she?!" Tokyo exclaimed as she rushed over to us.

"She's fine." Berlin snapped. "No thanks to you and your suicide mission with the machine gun."

"What?!" She screamed. "You can't possibly think this was _my_ fault!"

"On the contrary." Berlin replied. "I do think it was your fault. If you hadn't had used it then they wouldn't have opened even more fire on us then they already had."

"It was my idea to use the machine gun." I spoke up as his grip around me tightened. "It wasn't her idea."

"Just sit down." He said as he ignored my comment and placed me in a chair at the table.

"Is Paris going to be okay?" Nairobi asked.

"She's going to be fine Nairobi." Berlin said as he grabbed two containers of soup from the cabinet and sat down in the chair next to me.

"Why haven't we heard from The Professor yet? He was supposed to call us to check in." Tokyo asked accusingly as a container was placed in front of me by Berlin and I silently thanked him as I began to eat.

"If The Professor hasn't called that means that he's in trouble." Denver exclaimed. "Someone should call him."

"By all means go for it." Berlin said as he sipped from his soup and placed his right hand on my thigh.

"Call him." Tokyo shouted as she paced the room anxiously.

"I am." Moscow said as he dialed the numbers on the phone.

"Where is he?" Tokyo asked impatiently.

"There's no answer. It's the third time I've tried." Moscow said as he put the phone back down. "Guess we all know what that means."

"We don't know anything about the police out there." Denver said.

"So what do we do?" Moscow asked as Berlin groaned and put down his cup of soup.

"Well." Andrés said as he wiped his face with a napkin and lifted his hand from my leg. "We still have one call left to complete the cycle at midnight."

"What cycle?" Denver asked incredulously. "The fucking rat trap cycle?"

"Denver relax." Berlin said as he grabbed a wine bottle from the counter. "The Professor must be tying up some loose ends. There's nothing for us to worry about. Not yet. For now we keep printing money and watching the hostages."

"Really?" Denver asked. "That's your solution?"

"Yes." Andrés said as he grabbed an empty glass from the the cabinet. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to get a little rest."

"You're kidding?" Tokyo scoffed. "We're in deep shit right now and you're gonna go fuck?"

"Tokyo please." Berlin said as he looked at her with a smirk on his face.

"What?" She asked.

"There's really no need to employ such profane language. First of all it doesn't suit you. And second if I actually had to choose one of the ladies here from our group I'd choose..." Berlin said as he locked eyes with me. "Paris."

"That already happened." Oslo snorted.

"AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH." Denver laughed.

"Let's remember the plan fell to fucking pieces and I know you don't give a shit because you're dying but I do." Tokyo snapped as I gaped at her from across the room.

"I'm going." Berlin said as he turned around to walk out of the room.

"Son of a mother fucking bitch!" Nairobi screamed.

"Ugh and here's the other." Andrés groaned as he turned around to face them once again.

"You're actually going to leave us here while you go drink?" Nairobi accused.

"Forget that!" Moscow yelled. "This is a critical situation."

"No." Berlin said annoyed. "It doesn't get critical unless The Professor doesn't call in the next six hours."

"In which case we'll enact plan true-noble." He added.

_What the fuck is that?_ I thought to myself as I looked at him perplexed.

"What?" Nairobi asked in confusion.

"The Professor didn't tell any of us that." Moscow said. "What's plan true-noble?"

"If this all goes well you'll never find out. So please let's just all have a little bit of patience. Sound good?" He asked as he began to walk over to me. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go clear my head."

"Paris is coming with me." He added as he helped me to my feet and wrapped one arm around my waist.

"Go back to your posts." Berlin ordered as he pulled me out of the room with him and back into his office.

"Why did you take me with you?" I asked him curiously.

"I have to give you pain medication." He said as he watched me sit on the couch.

"Do you have water?" I asked him.

"Of course I do." He scoffed as he grabbed two tablets and an unopened water bottle for me.

"Thank you." I said softly as I placed the pills into my mouth and gulped them down with the cold liquid.

"I should be the one thanking you." Berlin said as he poured himself a glass of wine and sat down next to me. "You took a bullet that was meant for me but if I'm being honest I can't help but question why you did what you did."

"I don't know why I did it." I admitted. "But I just knew I had too."

"You care about me." He said as he studied me. "Don't even try and deny it."

"I can't deny it." I said with a soft chuckle. "Because if I were too then I'd be lying to you."

"I've never met a woman like you before." He said with a sigh. "You surprise me at every turn."

"Every time I think I've gotten you figured out I realize that perhaps I don't." He added.

"I've been told I'm hard to read." I said as he began to laugh.

"That you are." He said with a wink.

"Berlin! Paris!" Tokyo screamed as she bursted open the door. "You need to come see this. It's important."

"She's back again." Berlin groaned.

I ignored his statement but as I went to open my mouth to speak she had already walked out the door.

I looked at Berlin with a shrug as I immediately placed my glass down on the desk and followed her.

"What's the problem?" Berlin asked but he immediately quieted down once we walked into the room and he saw what was on the television.

The Police and an unknown man standing along side them.

"They arrested The Professor." Tokyo said as my head started to spin.

_That was The Professor._

"Shit they're interrogating him at the house in Toledo!" Rio exclaimed.

"Dammit!" Denver screamed as the video feed cut out.

"Shit! They cut off the signal. We're totally fucked." Rio said.

"They don't want us to find out and you realize this means they're coming in. We can sit here waiting for the next five hours or we can start plan fucking true-noble." Tokyo said as she glared at Berlin.

"Plan true-noble is for desperate situations and frankly I don't think we've quite reached that level of desperation yet do you?" He asked as he looked around the room. "It's a plan where the money is gone for good."

"I personally have no desire to give it up. Do you? Are you willing to give up on everything you worked so hard for Tokyo?" Berlin asked her.

"You guys they have The Professor." Tokyo said as Andrés rolled his eyes in irritation. "There isn't going to be a tunnel in the hanger because the fucking cops are going to be there waiting for us! We're fucking trapped in here!"

"In five hours The Professor will be calling us and I still believe in him." Berlin said. "In addition I'm not big on democracy but suddenly I feel like voting. Who still believes in The Professor?"

"I know I do." He added with a grin.

"I don't." Tokyo said.

"I still do." Helsinki said.

"I believe what I see and I see that we can't count on him anymore." Rio said. "I don't."

"I have confidence in The Professor." Moscow said.

"I vote that we get out of here now. This multimillionaire thing doesn't really suit me anyway." Denver said as he looked at me apologetically.

"I trust in The Professor." Oslo said.

"I have a very good reason to trust in The Professor and unless things really go to shit then I'll follow him until the end." Nairobi reluctantly said. "I still believe in him."

"Paris?" Andrés asked with a knowing smirk. "You have the last vote."

"Come on Paris." Tokyo said as she looked at me in desperation. "Don't you want to leave this place before you get arrested?"

"Don't let her influence you _mi reina._ " Berlin whispered in my ear. "Choose what you think is best."

_What I thought was best._

_This wasn't a choice of_ **_what_ ** _I thought was best. It was a game of_ **_who_ ** _I thought was best._

"I...I....I'm sorry Tokyo." I stuttered out. "I'm with Berlin."

"Well then." Berlin said with a smirk. "It looks like I've won."

"Maybe next time?" He asked Tokyo condescendingly as he grabbed my hand and practically dragged me out of the room with him.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"My office." He said simply.

"Why?"

"So that we're alone." He said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"What's that?" I asked as Berlin pulled out a small black medical kit and sat down at his desk.

"My medication for my illness. It helps me function throughout the day." He explained as he pulled out a syringe and a small vial of liquid.

"Opioids?" I asked in confusion. "You could get addicted."

"Yes I could get addicted while taking it." He said casually as his hand began to visibly shake. "But I could also die without it."

"Let me help you." I said with a sad smile as I walked over to him and took the syringe and the vial from his hands.

"Paris. Don't pity me." He said sternly. "I don't need it."

"I'm not." I said softly as I filled the syringe with the contents of the small glass container and grabbed his hand in my own.

"I'm helping you. So for once in your life just let someone help you Berlin." I said sincerely as he nodded his head and watched as I pierced his skin with the needle and emptied its contents into his blood stream.

"How much of this do you have left?" I asked curiously as I handed back the syringe and observed as he placed it back into the medical kit and zipped it back up.

"Enough for the rest of the heist." He said nonchalantly as he hid the kit in his desk.

"Are you sure?" I asked nervously.

"Paris." He said as he shook his head dismissively. "Don't worry about me. If anything you should be worrying about yourself. You got shot earlier."

"Yeah and I'm fine." I argued.

"This facade of acting like superwoman is getting old." He shot at me.

"Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop acting like you care."

"I do care." He said with a grin.

"Berlin." I said in disapproval but before he got a chance to speak the door being kicked in caught our attention.

"Tokyo? Denver? Rio?" I asked in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Tokyo." Berlin said with a chuckle as he immediately raised his gun and aimed it at her face. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Put it down." She whispered to Berlin as Denver and Rio walked up beside me and stuck their guns to the side of my head. "Or they'll shoot her again."

"Rio? Denver? Would you guys actually shoot me?" I asked incredulously as Berlin swiftly stood up and pulled me behind him.

"You're outnumbered Berlin." Tokyo said to him patronizingly.

He sighed in amusement as he slowly lowered his gun.

"Take it." Tokyo snapped as Denver grabbed the weapon from his hand quickly.

Andrés groaned in boredom as Rio and Denver grabbed both of our arms and escorted us out of the room together.

"Berlin." I whispered in fear.

"It'll be okay." He assured me. "They don't want you they want me."

"That's why I'm scared." I admitted as he looked at me with a blank expression on his face.

"No talking!" Denver shouted as I flinched at the roughness in his tone.

"Don't you dare shout at me after all I've done for you." I snapped at him. "Or did you already forget that I'm the reason why your little girlfriend is alive?"

"You betrayed us Paris." Tokyo said as she glared at me. "You choose Berlin over your own friends."

"I wasn't the only one who choose a side opposite of yours." I argued.

"Paris just shut up!" Denver screamed as he slapped his hand across my face and I immediately felt warm liquid running down my nose.

_Fucking idiot._

"Denver I promise you that you will regret ever touching her once your little coup is over." Berlin seethed as he looked at me to make sure I was okay.

"Get in." Tokyo said harshly as Denver and Rio pushed us both into the bathroom and closed the door as they followed us in.

"Sit down." Rio said as he pushed me into the chair that was sat in the corner of the room. "And stay still."

"Rio." I said softly. "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry." He whispered to me and that's all he said before he began to tie a rope around my body so that I couldn't move.

"Denver drill the pieces of wood to the door."  
Tokyo ordered as she finished tying Berlin to a second chair.

I watched on as the hot headed man quickly placed the wood panels onto the door and began to drill them to the wall effectively ruining any chance of escape.

"Do you know what this is?" Tokyo asked as she pulled out a small black bag from under her coveralls.

_Shit. Berlin's medication. I didn't even see her grab it._ I thought to myself in a panic.

"My medication." Berlin said in amusement.

"No." Tokyo snapped as she took out one of the vials and dangled it in his face. "It's days of life."

"It's funny isn't it?" She asked as she turned to me and then back to the man whose life line she was holding.

"That something so important is kept in something so fragile." She said as she slammed the vial down on the ground and my eyes widened as the glass shattered from the force and the liquid spilled out onto the tile.

"I see you haven't taken losing elections very well Tokyo." Andrés said with a mocking chuckle. "You should think about doing a little more personal work."

"I am not gonna sit around waiting for them to kill me because we fucking voted." She spat in his face. "You can stay if you want but you don't decide this for me or for them."

"That's great. Then go in peace." Berlin said with an amused smile. "No problem I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers. I've spent some truly wonderful days with all of you."

"Tokyo hurry up they'll be in here any minute!" Rio said nervously as he paced up and down the room.

Tokyo said nothing. All she did was pull out another one of Berlin's vials and hold it out for everyone to see.

"Berlin. Tell us about plan true-noble or I'll break your entire stash." She said.

"No." Berlin said emphatically as she slammed the vial down on the ground.

I winced at the impact as I saw yet another one of days that he could be living disappear right in front of my eyes.

"You're really gonna torture me by breaking little glass vials?" He asked with a laugh as she broke another vial. "Oh Tokyo. So mature about some things and so childish about others."

"You should consider doing something more convincing." Berlin said. "Cutting off one of my arms for instance."

"Of course I'm so high off of opioids that I might not even mind." He said with a chuckle.

"Berlin!" I hissed out in pure disbelief. "Stop! Just stop talking!"

"Denver!" Tokyo screamed. "Give me the gun."

"What?!" I exclaimed. "Tokyo! Tokyo! Please just stop!"

"Why?" She asked innocently as emptied out the bullets from the chamber of the revolver and Berlin started to laugh yet again at her antics.

"Tokyo! Please!" I begged as she placed one singular bullet into the gun and shook it around in Berlin's face.

"I want you to tell me about plan true-noble." She said to him as she placed the gun underneath his chin.

"You don't have what it takes." Berlin said with a smirk. "You don't."

"Three." Tokyo began to count.

"No!" I screamed.

"Two." She said.

"Rio! Denver! Do something!" I shouted as they avoided eye contact with me.

"One." She finished as she clicked the trigger but nothing happened.

_She's playing Russian Roulette with him._ I thought to myself as I forced my body to suppress the tears threatening to fall from my eyes.

"Ready for round two?" She asked with a raised eyebrow as Berlin lifted his head up seemingly inviting her to pull the trigger.

"Andrés!" I screamed as Rio looked at me in shock at my use of his real name. "What the fuck are you doing?!"

"Time's up." She said as she pulled the trigger again and again and again as my tears began to fall down my face at a rapid pace.

"Round five." Tokyo said as Berlin looked at her with a stoic expression etched across his face.

"What the fuck are you doing?!" A voice suddenly screamed and I let out a whimper of relief at the familiar tone of voice.

"Nairobi?" I asked barely above a whisper.

"We're playing Russian Roulette in here Nairobi! Come back a little later!" Berlin shouted as Denver looked at him with a glare.

"Dammit! Tokyo! You are fucking up the plan!" Nairobi screamed through the door.

"Well that's obvious." Berlin commented with a smirk.

"I'm fucking up the plan?!" Tokyo asked as she stood up and began to walk towards the door. "I'm not the one who came up with the shit plan to try and get her son back!"

"What did you just say?" Nairobi asked in shock as her voice trembled.

"You heard me." Tokyo replied as Nairobi went silent for a moment. "I may be brainless but the plan you have to go get your son is complete shit! When did he last see you? How old was he when you left him? Huh? Three? He doesn't have one fucking memory of you!"

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Nairobi exclaimed.

"He won't even recognize you." Tokyo continued. "Because he already has a mother! And a father! And those are his real parents!"

"You don't know shit about that!" Nairobi said.

"Really? Well what I do know is that his biological mother abandoned him to go sell some fucking pills and get high!" Tokyo screamed.

"I'm sorry. I can't really hear you. Why don't you come a little closer?" Nairobi breathed out as Tokyo stepped closer to the door.

"You lost your chance to be a mother! Admit it!" She screamed.

"Stop it!" Moscow's voice yelled loudly.

_Thank god. The voice of reason._

"Hey Tokyo." Rio said hesitantly. "It's getting a little out of control. Don't you think?"

"Didn't you say no matter what?" Tokyo asked him as she walked back over to Berlin and pointed the gun at his head. "Well this is the what."

"Tokyo! Please! Don't kill him!" I exclaimed in sadness. "Please!"

"Son!" Moscow screamed as Denver made his way over to the door. "You're getting into deep shit!"

"Deep shit?" Denver argued. "Who cares? Everything's going to shit!"

"Son. Listen. Forget about all of this okay? We need you all!" Moscow said emphatically.

"Should we go out?" Rio asked.

"Yeah." Denver said as he nodded his head.

"No." Tokyo snapped.

"Maybe we can still vote on it." Rio tried to say.

"No!" Tokyo yelled. "We already voted."

I shook my head in pure shock as Berlin groaned.

"Come on let's do this." Andrés said. "This is enough. If this is the end for me then just shoot me. Come on Tokyo. I'm dying. It's not like my future is one that you can actually destroy. But if you're trying to scare me you better know that after you blow my head off the only one that is going to be afraid is you. Because you're killing the only person who knows the plan. And you won't have a fucking idea of how to get out of this shit hole! It's all of you! You're playing Russian Roulette! So do it. _Do it_."

"No!" I screamed but before Tokyo could even think about pulling the trigger Moscow and Nairobi broke the door down with an old cabinet from one of the offices.

"Moscow! Untie me!" I begged him as he nodded his head and quickly released me from my binds.

I jumped up from the chair and I made my way across the room and threw myself onto Berlin's body in a bone crushing hug.

"You're okay." I said more to convince myself then anything else.

"I'm okay." He said as I connected our lips in a passionate kiss.

_What the fuck are you doing?_ I thought to myself but in that moment I didn't care what was right and what was wrong. All I knew was that Berlin was alive. And that's all that mattered.

"Shoot me." I heard Nairobi say as she guided Tokyo's gun to her chest.

But Tokyo didn't shoot. She just dropped the gun as as an acceptance of defeat and exited the room as fast as she could.

"As much as I've enjoyed this." Berlin said as I pulled away from his lips. "Untie me _mi amore_."

"Okay." I said softly as I undid the tight knot in the rope and watched as it fell to the ground in a heaping mess.

"Let me see you're face." He said as he gently grabbed my chin and wiped away the dried blood from my nose that Denver had caused. "Does it hurt?"

"No more than my shoulder." I tried to joke but Berlin just rolled his eyes and pulled me into his side.

"Everyone except Helsinki and Paris go back to your posts." He snapped harshly as they all nodded their heads and cautiously left the room.

"You're not going to retaliate?" I asked in confusion.

"Not me." Berlin said with a smirk. "We."

"We?" I asked.

"Yes." He said smoothly. " _We_ are going to retaliate."

"I'm not helping you get revenge on Tokyo." I said sternly. "She's my friend."

"Your friend?" He asked with a chuckle. "She just betrayed you. She tied you to a chair and ignored your pleas for help. And yet you still think she's your friend?"

"Please don't make me do this." I said barely above a whisper. "She made a mistake. That's it."

"A mistake is forgetting to clean your gun at the end of every shift." Berlin snapped. "It's not taking two people hostage and staging a takeover!"

"You do what you want." I shot at him. "But I refuse to be apart of this."

"Fine." He said as he nodded his head. "Go skip back to "your friends" and I'll take care of this mess."

"Fine." I repeated as I walked out of the room and towards the office.

"Paris! Wait!" Nairobi screamed out to me as I turned around and looked in her direction.

"What?" I asked.

"Are you okay?" She asked me as she assessed the wound on my nose similar to the way Berlin had just moments ago.

"I'm fine Nairobi. I promise." I said with a small smile. "Although I should be asking if you're okay."

"Me?"

"Tokyo was out of line with what she said to you." I said as I grabbed her hand comfortingly. "She had no right to speak about your child."

"Thank you Paris." She said but before I could respond a piercing scream grasped our attention.

"That sounded like Tokyo." Nairobi said as we both ran down the steps in search of her.

"Berlin!" I screamed in horror as I witnessed him push a cart with Tokyo tied onto it through the door and down the steps of the mint.

"What the fuck?!" Nairobi shouted.

"Paris." Berlin said smoothly as he turned to face me. "I'm so glad you're here because I've got a surprise for you."

"What surprise?" I asked as I struggled to regulate my breathing from the sight of Tokyo being sacrificed to the police.

_"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy I'm here!"_ A soft voice screamed as I whipped my head towards the closing door and right before it sealed shut a small body slipped through the open crack.

_Alexandria._

"Oh my god!" I screamed as I rushed over to my daughter. "Alex?!"

"Berlin." Nairobi breathed out in shock. "Did you do this? Did you bring her here?"

"No." Berlin deadpanned. "This was The Professors idea all along. He told us to create a distraction so that his people could get Paris's daughter in the building when the time came and although we haven't heard from our darling leader it still doesn't change the plan."

_Wait._

"So you threw out Tokyo for me?" I asked him as I picked up Alexandria in my arms and turned towards him. "As a distraction?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I'd do anything for you _mi reina_." He said softly as he walked over towards me and placed his arm around my waist.

"Mommy?" Alexandria asked as she looked at me and then refocused her attention onto Berlin. "Who is this?"

"Uh...this...this is..." I stuttered as I tried to figure out what words to use to describe the man standing in front of me.

"I'm Andrés." Berlin said with a smile as Alexandria mirrored his grin.

"Andrés." She repeated as she reached over to him and latched her arms around his neck.

"You want me to hold you?" He asked with a chuckle as she nodded her head enthusiastically and he immediately took her from my arms and into his own.

"Berlin you don't have to do this." I said sincerely. "I can take her."

"Nonsense." He said as he shook his head. "She's a mini version of you. So why wouldn't I want to get to know her?"

_Oh._

"Come on." He said as he grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers together while still keeping a firm grasp on Alex. "Let's go to my office."

"Okay." I said with a small smile as he began to lead us up the stairs.

_"They look like a fucking family." I heard Nairobi faintly say in the background as I allowed myself to yet again be consumed by the man walking next to me._


	11. Chapter 11: Her Father Doesn't Deserve Her.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _1:23 P.M._

My smile that was etched across my face was unmistakable as Berlin led both me and Alexandria up the stairs and down the hallway to his office.

"Mommy?" Alex asked as she rested her head on Andrés's shoulder.

"Yeah baby?" I questioned as I looked at her while we stepped into the office.

"I don't want to see Grandma again." She said barely above a whisper as my body immediately tensed.

"Why?" I asked her as Berlin shut the door and looked at me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"Daddy left me with her because he said he needed to go back to Emily."

_Emily._

_My ex husbands other wife._

_And the apple of his eye._

"I know that he left you with her." I said softly as Andrés led us over to the couch and we all sat down beside each other.

"Grandma hit me." She said as tears began to well up in her eyes. "When I was with her."

"Honey." I said sadly as I went to grab her from Berlin's grasp but she quickly shook her head in disapproval and latched onto him tighter.

"I don't want him to let go of me." She slightly sobbed out as the tears finally fell from her eyes.

"It's okay." Andrés said as he hugged her close to his body. "I'm not letting go."

"Don't let go." Alex cried out.

"I'm not letting go." He repeated softly as she dug her face into his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I asked her as I placed my hand on her head and began to stroke her hair soothingly.

"I just wish you were with me mommy." She whimpered out as I moved my body closer to Berlin's and her own.

"I'm here now and nothing will ever happen to you again." I assured her as Andrés nodded his head in agreement.

"Nobody is going to touch you like that again." He said as she slowly lifted her head to meet his eyes.

"You're nicer then my daddy is. He's mean to me." She suddenly squeaked out as my mouth opened in shock.

"Alex." I said in warning tone of voice.

"But he is mommy!" She exclaimed. "I don't like daddy! He doesn't care about me! He only loves Emily and her kids!"

"Her kids are your siblings." I pointed out.

"They bully me and say that I'm not one of them." Alex said softly. "They never make me feel like I belong."

"Siblings are a gift." Berlin said as she shook her head in disbelief.

"My brothers don't like me." Alexandria said.

"I have a brother." He said as her eyes widened at his statement and I smiled softly.

"You do?" She asked with a curious tone of voice.

"Yes." He said as he nodded his head. "I raised him."

"You raised him?" She questioned in confusion. "What about his mommy and daddy?"

"His mom and dad weren't around to help him so I became his guardian." Andrés explained. "I used to think he hated me but eventually I realized that he was just scared."

"What was he scared of?" Alex asked.

"He was scared that I was going to leave just like his parents did so he tried to push me away."

"Does he still try to push you away?"

"No." Berlin said with a slight chuckle. "He doesn't."

"Why?"

"Because he knows that no matter what happens I will always protect him."

"But isn't your brother old like you?" Alex asked as I winced at her use of the word old.

"Even though my little brother is an adult it doesn't change the fact that I would give my life in order to ensure his safety."

"Do you talk to him?"

"Yes." Andrés said. "Everyday."

"Everyday?" I suddenly questioned. "What do you mean?"

"The Professor." He started to say but Alex cut him off before he had the chance to go on.

"Who's The Professor?" She asked curiously.

"My brother." He said as my mouth went dry at the sound of his words.

_The Professor is Berlin's younger brother? What the fuck?_

"Oh my god." I breathed out in shock as I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Don't sound so shocked Paris." He said with a chuckle.

"Yeah mommy." Alex said with a slight smile as she recited Berlin's words. "Don't sound so shocked."

"What...why...why didn't you tell anyone?" I stuttered out.

"Do you really think anyone on this team would respect me if they found out that The Professor is my younger brother whom I raised?" He asked me with a raised eyebrow. "Because I can assure you they'd think that I was only put in charge because of my connection to him but the reality is I am one of the best thieves in the world and nobody can take that away from me."

"You're a thief?" Alex abruptly asked. "Doesn't that mean you're a bad person?"

"No." Berlin said quickly. "I'm not a bad person. I'm just..."

"Misunderstood." I finished for him as Alex nodded her head with a small smile.

"Berlin!" Moscow's voice screamed out as both our heads snapped towards the door.

"Who's that?" Alex asked curiously.

"Our friend." I said softly as I attempted to grab her from Berlin but she yet again latched onto his body tighter.

"It's okay." Andrés said with a nod as he stood up with Alex still in his arms and walked them towards the entrance to his office.

"May I help you?" He asked as he opened the door to reveal Moscow.

"I...uh...what are you doing with a child in your arms?" The older man hesitantly asked as Alexandria dug her face into Berlin's neck to avoid the confused stare coming from the self proclaimed father figure if the group.

"He's holding my daughter." I interrupted to say as Moscow slowly nodded his head.

"Everyone wants to speak to you so you can address what you've just done." He said sternly as Berlin said nothing but he wordlessly held out his hand for me.

"Let's go." I said softly as I grabbed a hold of his outstretched hand and allowed Moscow to lead us across the hall and into the main office where everybody sat.

"Finally." Denver said as Berlin sat down at the head of the table with Alex in his lap.

"What do you want to discuss?" I heard Berlin asked innocently as I took the empty seat next to him.

"Why did you turn Tokyo in?" Nairobi asked even though I was sure they all already knew the answer.

"Tokyo lost her mind. She couldn't take it. And it's not easy. I had no other choice but to turn her in." Berlin said smoothly. "Let's hold hands."

"Please." He said as everyone reluctantly grabbed ahold of each other's hands.

"We're all here risking our lives. It won't kill you to hold hands." He added as Rio stared daggers into the man that currently held my daughter in his lap. "When you have a wound. The platelets come together to close it. If they didn't cooperate the body would die. We have been wounded and we must unite."

"What the hell are you talking about now?" Rio snapped.

"Rio." Berlin said warningly.

"What the fuck are you?" Rio asked harshly as Berlin's grip tightened around my hand in anger at the younger mans disobedience. "A preacher? A leader of a cult? Are you guys going to fly to space by holding his hands?"

"Rio. You really need to relax." Andrés said calmly.

"No I'm not going to relax!" Rio protested.

"Now!" Berlin exclaimed.

"I'm not going to relax! Because Tokyo is in jail. And you have the balls to ask me to relax? She's my girlfriend. She's mine. And you fucked up her life."

"She was your first love. It's the end of summer and you're saying goodbye to Susan. You think it's the end of the world but I assure you it's not." Berlin said casually.

"Shut your fucking mouth you sick psychopath. You got that?" Rio screamed as Alex started to cry and clutch onto Berlin's jumpsuit in an attempt to keep him close to her while she listened to Rio's verbal abuse being spat at Andrés.

"Stop Rio. You're scaring Paris's daughter." Nairobi said in disapproval but Rio ignored her attempts to make him halt his speech.

"You have no fucking idea what you're saying okay?" Rio shouted at Berlin as his face visibly tensed.

"Has everyone gone crazy?" Rio asked as he turned his heads towards the rest of the group. "Moscow? Do you think what he did was right?"

"Son." Moscow said softly. "She went over the edge. We all saw it."

"Nairobi?" Rio choked out.

"There are rules here." Nairobi said sternly. "We voted and she didn't accept it. Then she lost it."

"Denver?" Rio asked with a small smile. "You realize this is bullshit right?"

"Yeah of course man." Denver said. "But she played Russian Roulette with Berlin. What did you expect?"

"That was nothing." Rio said dismissively. "Alright?"

"But it was close!" Nairobi exclaimed. "It was so close! Come on! Wake up! Open your eyes! Tokyo lost it and we can't have a bomb like her blow up in here!"

"I don't believe it." Rio said in disbelief. "You're all with Berlin? You're siding with a fucking psychopath?!"

"No!" Nairobi yelled. "No! We don't all side with Berlin. We all side with The Professor."

"The Professor? He's under arrest. We all saw it on TV. He's not going to call. He's not going to be waiting on the other side of the tunnel." Rio said emphatically as he turned back to Berlin. "Now you're gonna say that there's two hours left on the check up call right?"

"Good luck. Because it's the last one. Let's see what the fuck you're going to do when he doesn't call." He said as he stood up from his seat. "I'm not going to stick around to find out."

"What does _that_ mean?" I questioned as I stared at him with a perplexed look.

"We lost hostages. We lost Tokyo. I guess it won't matter if I go too right?" Rio asked as he grabbed his gun and forcefully slid it across the table to Berlin.

"Of course it matters Rio. But it's your decision and I'll respect it. So go ahead." Andrés said as he placed Alex in my lap and I watched suspiciously as Helsinki discreetly handed Berlin a syringe wrapped in a white cloth.

"I'm leaving." Rio said as he began to walk away from the table. "Is someone going to come and shut the front door?"

"Wait." Berlin said as he got up from his chair and walked over to the younger man with the white cloth in his hand but the syringe no where in sight. "When you leave wave this over your head. So that they know that you're giving up. There's snipers and I wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

"Give me a hug." He said as he pulled Rio into a gentle hug and Nairobi stood up in hesitation at the scene unfolding before her.

"I want you to do well and I never want you to stop believing in love. It's precious." Andrés said but before the heartbroken kid could pull away Berlin had stabbed the syringe into his neck and emptied its contents into his bloodstream.

"Trust me." He said as Rio pulled away in shock but ultimately fell back into the mans arms as the unknown drug started to take affect. "Trust me. Hey you need to calm your mind so that you can think more clearly. Just trust me. Just let yourself go.

"That's it." Berlin cooed as Rio's breathing slowed down and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Berlin!" I exclaimed in terror. "What the fuck did you just inject him with?!"

"Just a sedative to help him calm down." He replied casually as Helsinki quickly took the unconscious man from his arms and placed him onto the couch.

"What if he dies!" I screamed. "Do you even know how much of the sedative you just gave him?!"

"He'll be fine Paris." Helsinki said softly. "I made sure the amount was safe."

"You promise?" I asked hesitantly.

"I promise." Helsinki said as Alex jumped out of my lap and ran over to Berlin.

"Pick me up!" She exclaimed with a giggle as she raised her arms and smiled as Berlin complied with her demands and placed her body on his hip.

"She really likes you." Denver commented wearily as he watched Alexandria hug Andrés tightly.

"Yes." I said sincerely. "She's known him for an hour and she already likes him more than me."

"It happens." Berlin said cockily as he turned to the only other woman currently left on the team. "Nairobi stay with Rio."

"I didn't sign up to be anybodies nurse and I also didn't sign up for these little speeches or to have therapy sessions." She spat as the others quickly left the room leaving only Nairobi, Berlin, Alex, and myself still here. "I kept my god damn mouth shut because I don't want to add to the list of people fucking things up."

"How nice of you." Andrés said as Alex rested her head on his shoulder and I watched in awe as she slowly began to close her eyes. "To worry about the group like that."

"Do you want to know what I'm really worried about? The Professor...Berlin. He's MIA. It's just you. And he's the one who's in charge."

"And it's precisely for that reason that he conceived the perfect plan. The one everyone will stick too. Piece by piece. We can _never_ veer away from it."

"But you already have! You turned Tokyo in!" Nairobi retorted.

"Tokyo will get her share if she behaves and shuts her mouth." Berlin said.

"That's bullshit!" Nairobi screamed. "That would happen if she got arrested! Not when she was turned in by you and rolled down the marble stairs like a gazelle to the lions! And now that she's pissed off I bet you that she's already started talking! And I bet you the cops are in that hanger digging another tunnel to get in here from the other side!"

"I'll put your little comments in the suggestion box." Berlin said patronizingly as he looked down to check on the sleeping girl that rested on his shoulder. "But unfortunately as you saw with Rio it won't do you any good."

"Because this is a fucking _patriarchy_!" He screamed in Nairobi's face as she flinched from his outburst.

"And what do you mean by that?" She asked incredulously.

"I mean that I'm the one in charge. And if you don't want to end up like Rio or Tokyo then I suggest you calm down." He said as he walked towards the front of the room. "What's the matter with you Nairobi? Has your period synced up with Tokyo's?"

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"To make sure the rest of the group is doing their jobs." He said with an eye roll as I gestured to Alexandria.

"What are you going to do with her?" I questioned.

"I'll take her with me." Berlin called out as Alex's head still laid on his shoulder as she continued to sleep.

"That's fine." I said with a small frown. "Even though you're being an asshole I still trust you."

I didn't receive a reply.

All I got in response was a simple nod as he walked out of the door with my daughter in his arms.

"We have to do something to stop him Paris." Nairobi suddenly said as I whipped my head in her direction. "He's gone crazy."

I sighed as I opened my mouth to speak. _"I know he has."_


	12. Chapter 12: The Matriarchy Begins Now.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _8:58 P.M._

_"We have to do something to stop him Paris." Nairobi suddenly said as I whipped my head in her direction. "He's gone crazy."_

_I sighed as I opened my mouth to speak. "I know he has."_

"What the fuck?" Rio exclaimed as he jumped up from the couch with a groggy look on his face. "What happened?"

"You were drugged." Nairobi said as the younger mans eyes widened and he began to walk towards the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked.

"To the bathroom if that's okay." Rio said with an evident attitude. "Or do I need a chaperone?"

"Go." I said with a sigh as he quickly walked out of the room and I turned my attention back onto Nairobi.

"I have a plan but we need your help." She said as she looked at me with pleading eyes.

"We?" I questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Denver and I." She said softly. "We are going to overthrow Berlin and stop his power trip."

_I told Berlin when I first arrived here that they'd betray him._ I thought to myself as I inwardly groaned. _He should've listened to me._

"What makes you think it'll work?" I asked. "He won't sit back and allow you to take away his control."

"I know that." Nairobi said emphatically. "That's why we need you."

"I don't want to be involved in this." I said honestly.

"Why?" She pressed.

"I won't choose between you both." I argued.

"Are you saying that you're okay with Berlin throwing Tokyo out of here?" She asked incredulously. "I thought Tokyo was your friend."

" _Was_ being the key word." I deadpanned.

"Paris you can't mean that." She said with a slight frown. "Tokyo advocated for you to be here! She was on your side!"

"Yeah she did! But she held me hostage! And then she threatened to kill the man I-" I began to say but I immediately closed my mouth to stop myself from continuing.

"The man you what?" Nairobi snapped. "Don't tell me you actually care about Berlin."

I stayed silent as her eyes studied my stoic expression that was etched across my face.

"Oh my god." She choked out in disbelief. "You actually feel something for him."

"Of course!" She added with a sarcastic chuckle. "You're always with him! You're daughter fucking loves him! Hell Berlin is even taking care of her right now! It all makes fucking sense!"

"You and Tokyo were the ones that made it seem like you wanted us together when you first got here!" I said harshly. "And _now_ you want to act like what I may or may not feel for him is some act of treason?!"

"I was teasing you!" Nairobi exclaimed. "I never actually thought that you'd fall for the psychopath!"

"Fuck you." I spat at her. "You can do whatever the fuck you want but I won't be participating in this obscene act."

"And by the way." I said as I began to walk towards the door. "Tokyo deserved so much more then what she got today."

"How so?"

"You said it yourself. She's a bomb that we don't need in here." I said with a shrug. "She's lucky that nothing happened to Berlin."

"What are you saying?" The black haired woman asked dumbfounded.

"If she had killed him or touched a hair on my daughters head then I promise you that I would've killed her myself." I said emphatically as Nairobi's mouth dropped open in shock.

"What the fuck has Berlin done to you?" She breathed out.

"He didn't do anything."

"Oh no?" She challenged. "He's an asshole and his ways have clearly rubbed off on you."

"You don't know who he is." I said sincerely. "You all see him as this monster but have you ever even tried to understand why he is how he is? Have you ever even attempted to look past the persona that is _Berlin_?"

"No." I answered for her before she could speak. "You all couldn't care enough to do so."

"That's not true." She said faintly.

"Oh?" I asked mockingly. "I might not have known him for as long as you but I sure as hell know enough to understand that he is _not_ a monster. He plays a fucking character! And guess what?! He's fucking dying! And nobody in here gives a flying shit because you're all too concerned with the fact that he threw out the woman who threatened to fuck up the whole plan and put your parenting skills on blast for the whole god damn group to hear!"

"Why are you so adamant on defending him?" Nairobi asked.

"Why are you so adamant on making him out to be a monster?" I countered. "Because with the way that he's treated me and my daughter I can tell you with the upmost confidence that he's not nearly as horrible as you all make him out to be."

She stayed silent for a moment while seemingly absorbing my words.

"I'm sorry." She reluctantly said as she walked over to me and pulled me into a hug. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"I'm sorry too." I said sincerely as I wrapped my arms around her body. "I just don't want to get in the middle of all of this."

"I understand." She said as she pulled away and stared into my eyes with a soft smile. "Will you promise me something though?"

"Anything." I said genuinely.

"If he does something reckless then you have to allow me to intervene and you have to convince him to stop." She said as I silently nodded my head in agreement.

"Okay." I said softly. "I promise."

"I know Tokyo went overboard." She admitted. "But I'm just nervous that she's going to fuck up the whole plan for us."

"Do you really think that she's going to talk when she knows that Rio is still in here?" I asked with a low chuckle. "She won't do anything that'll hurt him."

"I guess you're right..." She began to say but a loud voice screaming cut her off.

"For fucks sake." I groaned out as we both swiftly walked out of the room and made our way to the main hall where Rio stood at the top of the steps with a loaded M-16 in his grasp.

"The bathroom my ass." I muttered bitterly underneath my breath as I watched Denver and Oslo look on in horror.

"How are you doing hostages?! Did you sleep well thinking about how your lives are being protected?!" Rio screamed as the hostages looked on in confusion at his antics. "Well keep dreaming because you're not gonna be alive long enough to see the light of day!"

"They lied! Just like how nobody has even sent messages to your families saying that you are okay! No!" Rio screamed as Berlin walked out of his office with Alexandria still in his arms and made his way beside Rio.

"You fucking idiot." Denver growled as he stood there in disbelief.

"It was a trick! To keep you calm like sheep while working for us! And smiling!" Rio continued to scream as he held up his gun and pointed it straight at Berlin. "Everyday! Because in here you wear a smile! Isn't that right Mr. Andrés de Fonollosa?! No long faces! Right?!"

"Don't point that thing at my daughter!" I yelled as Rio shook his head in defiance and continued to point the weapon at the duo standing before him.

"Are you about done here?" Berlin asked with a blank expression on his face.

"We're not going to get out through the hole that you guys have been digging!" Rio yelled. "NO!"

"We're gonna exit through a different tunnel that leads directly into the vault!" He added as Berlin sighed and watched on with a smile as Helsinki knocked Rio down with the back of his gun.

"What you did is high treason Rio." Andrés said as he grabbed the gun from Rio's hands and looked down at him in disappointment. "Unforgivable."

"Let's go." Berlin ordered as Helsinki dragged Rio down the opposite end of the hall.

"Come on." Helsi snapped as Andrés handed Alex off to Oslo and silently followed them.

"This isn't good." Nairobi said as she quickly walked past me and stormed her way into Berlin's office.

"Paris." Oslo called out as he made his way over to us. "What should I do with your daughter?"

"Can you watch her while I go find Berlin?" I asked him as he nodded his head and sat down with Alex on the couch.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked Nairobi as I saw her rummage around through Berlin's desk and shove something into the pocket of her coveralls.

"Nothing." She said quickly. "Let's go find Berlin and Rio."

"Fine." I said as I walked towards the door but before I could make it out Oslo outstretched his hand and held out a small handgun for me to take.

"Berlin and my cousin can be unpredictable at times." He said sincerely. "Take it."

"Thank you." I said genuinely as I snatched the weapon from his hand and made my way into the hall and towards the warehouse.

"How do you know they'll be in there?" Nairobi suddenly asked as she followed me into the bland concrete pathway that led to the warehouse where this all began.

"Does this answer your question?" I asked sarcastically as I gestured to the small window on the center of the door that revealed Berlin standing with Helsinki and Rio just below us.

"It was a bad idea to talk to the hostages Rio." We heard Helsinki say as he finished tightening the rope around the younger mans wrists.

"So just turn me in like you did with Tokyo." Rio said as he turned to face Berlin and Helsinki. "All tied up. Because I'm not gonna shut up."

"I trust Tokyo." Berlin began to say. "But you're just a foolish child...what a paradox. Don't you agree Helsinki?"

"Tokyo will stay quiet to protect him. And yet you are going to disappear without her knowing." He added.

"What are you gonna do? Huh?" Rio asked.

"What you've been screaming for." Andrés said as he took his gun out of his holster and held it up towards the ceiling. "Execution."

"Shit." Nairobi said with a sigh as we looked on from behind the door.

"You have indeed lost your mind. I can't allow you to leave nor can I let you stay. What you told the hostages signed your death warrant. So I need to do this and I'll do it with a firm hand." Berlin snapped as he aimed his gun at Rio's head but before he could pull the trigger his hand started to violently shake which caused an evident frown to come over my face.

He groaned loudly as he dropped his aim. "Okay my hand might shake a little."

Rio's face turned ghost white as Berlin began to laugh loudly.

"It's important that you face your mortality with humor." Andrés said as I grasped the cold door handle in my own.

"Fuck you." Rio breathed out as Berlin once again aimed his gun at his chest.

"Do you have any last words?"

"There's still time for you to change your mind and not be an asshole." Rio tried to say.

"Ah! Motherfucker! Helsinki! This kid is finally starting to act like a grown up. If you'd live longer you could've been the next Paulo Coelho." Berlin said as he flipped the safety trigger off with a smirk. "That's too bad the world is going to miss out."

"Why the fuck are you both just standing here?!" Denver exclaimed as he swiftly walked over to us and gestured for me to open the door.

"Berlin!" Nairobi screamed as I quickly opened the piece of metal that separated us from the chaos and we made our way into the warehouse. "What the shit are you doing?!"

"Drop the fucking gun!" Denver yelled as both Nairobi and himself aimed there guns at Berlin's head.

"What the hell are you both doing?! You never said that you were going to threaten to shoot him!" I said in disbelief as I pulled out my own gun and shoved it into Denver's back.

"The time is over for negotiations. Democracy only results in chaos and I'm about to carry out a sentence right now." Andrés said calmly.

"Enough bullshit!" Denver shouted as he nervously tried to move away from me. "We're all on the edge."

"Berlin don't fuck this up." He added pleadingly but before the man in question could respond the phone ringing caught everyone's attention.

"Berlin we can't fucking turn on each other." Denver tried to say.

"Go." Nairobi whispered to him as she immediately turned her gun onto me and I was forced to watch as Denver made his way down the steps with his gun pointed directly at Andrés.

"Berlin you better lower your little pistol because if you don't then you're going to be in a lot of pain." Nairobi said as she pulled out the bag full of his medication and waved it around in her hands. "I found your pain killers and I've got your girlfriend standing on the other side of my gun."

"Nairobi." I said warningly.

"What are you gonna do Nairobi?" Berlin asked condescendingly. "Break them one by one just like Tokyo? Or perhaps you'll threaten the life of one of your friends just like Tokyo as well?"

"Well I might." Nairobi said with a smirk. "After all it is that time of the month. Isn't it just like us women? So nosy right? And we can be real bitchy too when we're mistreated."

"Let me go and I'll stop him from killing the bastard." I whispered to the woman standing next to me as she slowly nodded her head and allowed me to walk down the steps and towards Berlin.

"Put the gun down." I said softly as I grabbed ahold of his arm. "Please."

I got nothing in response and before I could stop him I heard three loud gunshots echo around the this walls of the warehouse and I watched in horror as the bullets went flying in Rio's direction.

But they didn't hit him.

Instead they went straight into the wall and I sighed in relief as Berlin took a deep breath and placed his gun back in his holster.

"Son of a bitch!" Rio screamed in agony as the realization that he was trapped inside of here without his darling girlfriend hit him full force.

"It's okay." Denver said as he grabbed Rio's body and pulled him into a hug. "It's going to be okay."

"Berlin. Honey. I think you've got a missed call." Nairobi called out to Andrés as he rolled his eyes.

"Come on." I said to him as I interlaced our fingers together and I forcefully pulled him up the stairs and outside of the warehouse so that we were alone.

"What was that?" I asked incredulously. "Were you actually going to kill him?!"

"Yes." He admitted firmly. "Because he was a danger to the plan and to your safety."

"You can't go around killing people!" I screamed as he stared at me with a blank look on his face but he immediately grabbed ahold of my arm and dragged me into his office once the phone began to ring again.

"What?" Berlin asked clearly irritated.

"Check up call." The Professor said with anger evident in his voice.

"Everything's going smoothly here." Berlin replied casually.

"Running smoothly?" The Professor asked skeptically. "Smoothly as in Tokyo being interrogated by the police? Smoothly as in you were about to execute Rio? Berlin what are you doing?"

I turned my head to try and gauge the reaction of the man standing beside me but instead of finding comfort in his dark chocolate brown eyes I was forced to watch him fall to the ground in a heaping mess.

"What the fuck?!" I exclaimed as I immediately kneeled down next to his body and check his head.

"No." I breathed out as my hand became saturated in his warm blood and I looked up at Nairobi, Denver, and Helsinki in disgust.

"Wasn't there a better way to do this?" I spat but Nairobi ignored my comment and proceeded to speak into the phone she had picked up from the floor.

"Professor. It's Nairobi. Berlin is indisposed. So from now on I'm the one in charge." She said as she smiled widely. _"The matriarchy begins now."_


	13. Chapter 13: Did I Make A Mistake.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _11:24 A.M._

_"Wasn't there a better way to do this?" I spat but Nairobi ignored my comment and proceeded to speak into the phone she had picked up from the floor._

_"Professor. It's Nairobi. Berlin is indisposed. So from now on I'm the one in charge." She said as she smiled widely. "The matriarchy begins now."_

"Helsinki." I said as I gripped Andrés head tightly and I watched Nairobi hang up the phone. "Can you pick Berlin up and lay him down on the couch?"

"Yes." He said softly as he gently picked Berlin up and placed him on the couch.

His guilt from being apart of Nairobi's plan was evident in his voice.

"Alexandria! No! Wait for me! Paris where are you?!" I heard Oslo shoutout frantically as Alex came barreling through the door with the larger man running closely behind her.

"Mommy?" Alex asked nervously as she stopped abruptly and stared at Berlin's unconscious body laying on the couch. "What happened to Andrés?"

"I'm sorry Paris. She woke up and asked for water so I brought her down to the main office but she heard everyone talking and ran down here before I could catch her." Oslo said apologetically as I waved it off with a small smile of gratitude for his efforts and turned my head back towards Alex.

"He hit his head but don't worry he's just sleeping honey." I said softly as she slowly nodded her head and I opened my arms expecting her to run into them for comfort.

But she didn't.

She just ran past me and carefully climbed onto the couch that Andrés laid on and placed her body next to his as she hugged him tightly.

It was surreal to look at.

_My_ daughter had affectively ignored my attempt to comfort her and had chosen to find comfort in the arms of the unconscious man whom she'd met a couple hours ago.

"She is smitten with him." Helsinki said as he observed Berlin's arms subconsciously move around Alex's body and hold her in a way only a parent would know how to.

But Berlin wasn't a parent.

And he sure as hell wasn't my daughters father.

Yet there was an undeniable connection the duo had that left even me speechless.

"Who would've thought?" Denver tried to joke. "Berlin caring about a child? I never would've assumed this was gonna happen."

"Get out." I said sternly as I ignored his attempt to make a joke.

"Paris." Nairobi tried to say but I sent her a sharp glare which caused her to immediately close her mouth.

"You can come back later." I said as she tried to cut me off to speak.

"No!" I exclaimed. "Don't talk!"

"You got exactly what you wanted." I added with a frown. "You staged a coup and you took power. And now that you have that power make yourself useful and leave while I try and make sure that the man you just _attacked_ doesn't bleed out on the couch."

"You can come back later when he wakes up." I deadpanned. "But until then get the fuck out."

"I thought we were friends." Nairobi said softly. "I thought you understood my position in all of this."

"We _are_ friends." I clarified. "But do you really expect me to condone the way you went about all of this?"

"He was going to execute Rio!" She defended. "What was I supposed to do?! Just let Berlin kill him?!"

"Rio just told the whole group of hostages how we were planning to escape! Hell the hostages knew before I even knew! And now you're telling me that he shouldn't have been punished for it?!"

"Stop fighting." Denver said as he attempted to pull Nairobi out of the room but before he could she violently moved her body away from the brunette.

"No! Denver! Don't you dare!" She screamed at him as she turned her head to look at me in disgust. "What the hell happened to you?"

"What do you mean what happened to me?" I asked incredulously.

"I should be asking what the hell happened to _you_!" I shot at her.

"A few days ago you sacrificed your life for Rio and Tokyo." Nairobi said with a small smile. "And you said to all of us that you don't respect or support violence. And now? Only a few days later you've decided that execution is the answer?"

"Who are _you_ to judge _me_?" I asked. "And how dare you even insinuate that I think execution is the answer?"

"Did you forget that I'm the one that saved Mónica's life? _I'm_ the one that took the bullet out of her leg that Denver put there on Berlin's orders! I did that!" I exclaimed as I looked over at Alex to check on her now sleeping figure that laid next to Andrés. "So don't say that I support death."

"You sure as hell could've fooled me." Nairobi said with a mockingly chuckle. "Because you didn't lecture Berlin for throwing Tokyo out of this place!"

"So what were you expecting me to do?!" I shouted. "Lecture the man who doesn't give a damn about what anybody thinks? The man who brought my daughter here?!"

"He brought your daughter here with _The Professors_ help." Nairobi said emphatically. "It wasn't Berlin's plan so don't give him all the credit like he did this as a favor for you."

"You stand there and you claim to everyone that'll listen that you don't feel anything towards Berlin. But guess what?" She asked as she shook her head lowly. "You're wrong."

"I don't feel anything for Berlin." I said harshly.

"I'm not sure if you're lying to yourself or everyone else but either way you're not being truthful with how you feel towards him." She said. "You've changed for _him_. You've changed so you're more like _him_. You defend _him_. You allowed your daughter to become close to _him_. You believe in _him_. You believe in his fucked up ways and his holier than thou attitude that he so elegantly shoves down our throats. And for what? Do you really expect to one day become Mrs. Paris de Fonollosa? Do you really expect to have a fairytale ending with _Berlin_ of all people?"

"Yeah." She scoffed without allowing me the chance to respond. "Maybe you could in some other lifetime. But not this one."

"It's time that we all begin to admit the truth. And the truth is that you are in love with Berlin." She added. "You are so in love that you've become blinded by it and you don't even recognize it."

"You aren't who you were when you first walked through those doors. You're just like him now. You told me a little less than an hour ago that you wouldn't choose between Berlin and I but it feels like you already have." She said sadly. "And it's disappointing and above everything it makes me nauseous to think that I even thought that you cared about me...about our friendship...about Tokyo and Rio..."

"I hope this love story has the fairytale ending you've dreamed about because maybe then you can justify losing the best friend you could've ever had to a man like him." Nairobi choked out as she walked out of the room with Denver following closely behind.

"Paris." Helsinki said softly as he placed one of his big hands on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

"Just please go...both of you..." I whispered out as he reluctantly nodded his head and left the room with Oslo.

_Did she speak the truth?_

_Did I unknowingly already chose a side?_

_Did I love Berlin?_

_Did I make a mistake?_

_Did I change?_

_Did I let down my friends?_

_Did I let down Tokyo?_

_Did I let down Rio?_

_Did I let down Nairobi?_

_Would I have allowed Berlin to kill Rio?_

_I don't know._

And that was the truth. I didn't know.

But as I sat there and contemplated every decision I had made since I had entered the mint the audible groan of the man laying down on the couch caught my attention.

My eyes met with his dark chocolate ones as his vision began to get clearer and as I stared into his comforting gaze I knew I hadn't made a mistake.

Because a mistake is choosing the wrong colored outfit to match your shoes.

A mistake is never choosing to follow your heart because your heart leads you to love.

_And you can never be wrong when choosing the ones you love over everyone else._


	14. Chapter 14: You Love Me.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _11:24 A.M._

"Are you okay?" I asked him softly as he nodded his head with a loud groan.

"What happened?" He asked as he clutched the back of his head in pain.

"Nairobi." I said simply. "She hit you on the back of the head and assumed command."

"She can't do that without The Professors go ahead." He replied back.

"From what I could tell The Professor didn't argue with her." I said as he visibly frowned.

"That's very disappointing." He said as he looked down at his side and raised his eyebrows in surprise at Alex's sleeping form that he just now realized was hugging his body.

"When did this happen?" He asked curiously.

"She was worried so she laid down next to you and ended up falling asleep." I said nonchalantly as he wordlessly pulled her closer into his body.

"I never used to like kids." He suddenly said as he stared down at her with an indescribable look in his eyes. "And I suppose in a lot of ways I still don't."

"But your daughter." He added with a small smile. "She's different."

"I hope that's a good thing." I said with a chuckle.

"Indeed it is."

"Why did you never like kids?" I asked as he stared at me seemingly contemplating his answer.

"I told you once that fatherhood was never meant for me." He started to say. "And nothing I have ever said before has ever been so true. I live a life that caters to _my_ needs and my needs alone. I could never sacrifice my life as a thief or as a man with elegant and refined taste for a child whom I don't even want and consider to be a burden."

"But." He said.

"But?" I questioned.

"Your daughter is different then most children her age. She's beautiful. She's intelligent. She's kind. And above it all she looks at me like a hero as opposed to the villain I've always been described as. It's...refreshing in a sense." He admitted.

"My daughter doesn't usually bond with people the way she has bonded with you." I said sincerely. "She truly adores you."

"I know she does." He said with a nod.

"I'm sorry for what Nairobi did." I blurted out.

"Why would you be sorry?" He asked in obvious confusion.

"I knew she was going to do something." I explained. "She had asked for my help but I told her I wouldn't choose between you both."

"It's not your fault." He assured me as he carefully untangled Alex's body from his own and slowly stood up from the couch. "You warned me from the beginning that one of them would betray me and I didn't listen."

"That doesn't change the fact that I still knew and I never warned you."

"You told Nairobi you wouldn't choose sides and by telling me what she had planned you would've unwillingly pledged your loyalty to me."

"Be that as it may I never wanted this to happen." I said as I gestured to the bleeding wound on his head.

"I know." He said as I walked over to the first aid kit and grabbed a white cloth from it.

"What is that for?" He asked.

"If I don't put something there to stop the bleeding then you'll faint from the amount of blood loss." I said as he silently nodded and allowed me to wrap the fabric around his head.

"I'm going to take back my control." He informed me.

"No." I said sternly.

"No?" He retorted back seemingly flabbergasted by my hostility. "And why not?"

"Let her fail." I replied back casually. "If you use violence and take back your command by force then everybody will see that as a declaration of war."

"But if you wait until she fails then you'll be considered as somewhat of a hero to the team." I added with a smirk.

"And how do you know that she'll fail?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Contrary to what Nairobi thinks right now I truly do adore her and I think it's clear to everyone that without her and her expertise in counterfeiting we wouldn't have been able to do this heist. But."

"But?"

"But shows too much emotion and compassion. She isn't a leader."

"She isn't a leader." He repeated in agreement.

"And she isn't you." I finished as his eyes lit up at my words.

There was a silence that filled the room following my statement as he seemingly studied me before he finally spoke up.

"You love me." He said.

_Fuck._

"I don't know what you're talking about." I said with a playful chuckle as I tried desperately to dismiss the subject of conversation.

"Don't ignore what you feel." He said as he tried to disguise his pleading tone of voice but I saw right through his confident facade.

"Would it matter if I did have feelings for you?" I challenged. "Would it really change anything?"

"Oh _mi reina._ " He said as he laughed lightly. "It would change _everything_."

"How so?" I pestered. "I'm assuming when we all leave here we'll have to go our separate ways to make sure that we're all safe. So what would be the point of me admitting anything to you?"

"So there _is_ something to admit?" He countered with a large smirk.

"Stop." I said as he grabbed my hand in his own and pulled me closer to his body.

"Come with me." He whispered into my ear.

"What?" I asked incredulously as I pulled away from him in shock.

"Come with me." He repeated.

"You don't mean that." I said uneasily.

"On the contrary." He said as he regained his grip on my hand. "I do."

"Andrés." I said in disbelief. "We slept together once and now you want me to come with you to some random country for god knows how long?!"

"Why not?" He asked.

"I have a daughter."

"I'm aware."

"You said you don't like children."

"She's an exception. I thought I've made that clear?"

"You've dealt with her for a day. That's very different then what you'd be doing if we came with you."

"I'm sure I could handle it." He said as he rolled his eyes. "I raised my brother after all."

"Your brother grew up to become the mastermind of one of the biggest heists in the world." I argued.

"Your point?" He asked with an innocent smile.

"You know what my point is." I said with narrowed eyes.

"He's alive and well isn't he?" He snapped. "Shouldn't that be a good sign that I'm capable of raising a child?"

"What do you expect to happen?" I asked. "Are you expecting us to get married and for you to become her step-father?"

"Well I was thinking that I'd eventually adopt her." He said casually. "That way my place in her life is more permanent as is my place in yours."

"Oh my god." I breathed out.

"Paris. Relax!" Andrés said with an amused smile. " _Tranquila_."

"Don't tell me to be quiet!" I snapped. "You're talking nonsense!"

"Just think about it! For once in your life allow yourself to lead with your heart and not your head!" He exclaimed as I took a deep breath.

"You're crazy." I said softly.

"No I'm not and you know it." He deadpanned. "I'm offering you something that every person dreams of having."

"Oh yeah?" I snorted sarcastically. "And what exactly is that?"

"I'm offering you a family." He said. "The Professor and I agreed to travel together after this. If you were to come with us then we'd all be together."

"Don't you want a life away from all the chaos you've been forced to endure from your ex and your mother? Don't you want to live in paradise forever? To live in a world where you can build a real family?" He asked as he stared into my eyes. "Don't you want that?"

"Of course I want that." I said sincerely. "I want that for my daughter and for myself."

"Then come with me." He said quickly.

"You don't seem like the family man type." I said hesitantly.

"Paris." Berlin said. "I don't have much longer to live."

"Thanks for reminding me." I scoffed. "It's not like I could forget."

"I don't want to die alone."

"So that's why you're asking me to go with you?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Because you want me to cry at your funeral?"

"No." He said emphatically. "I want you to come with me because I adore your daughter and because I love you."

 _He loves me._ I thought to myself incredulously as my mind started to race.

"Just say you'll think about it." He practically begged.

"Okay." I whispered out. "I'll think about it."

I waited for a response from him but I never got one because a loud interruption caught our attention instead.

"Berlin! Paris!" Nairobi shouted as she barged into the room with Oslo behind her. "It's time that we have a team meeting."

"A team meeting?" I questioned but before she could answer Berlin spoke instead.

"We're right behind you Nairobi." He said as he walked over to the couch and picked up Alex's sleeping body in his arms.

"Let's go." I said as he silently grabbed my hand and led all three of us towards the door way.

"I'm glad to see you're up." Nairobi commented towards Berlin as she made her way to the main office with Oslo and our three figures following her.

"Thank you." Andrés replied as we all took a seat with the others at the table.

"Rio." I said curtly as I looked down at the younger man sitting at the table with his zip tied hands on display for everyone to see.

He said nothing.

All he did was groan in response.

"Why are we here?" I questioned impatiently.

"The Professor called." Nairobi said sternly. "We have a problem."

"What type of problem?" Denver asked.

"We're moving on to Plan Cameroon. We're going to release eleven of the hostages and we're going to get a reporter and a camera in here to record all of it but we're going to need one of you to be the spokesperson for the group." Nairobi said as she looked down at the younger man sitting at the table with a depressed look etched across his face. "In my opinion it should be Rio."

"I understand you're angry." She said to him. "But you could do it without a mask and you're endearing."

"You think I'm going to go on TV? For Tokyo to see me from jail?" Rio asked incredulously. "Smiling like everything's fine? Doing a damn interview like nothing fucking happened?"

"I'm a hostage now so don't count on me for anything." He finished as he slammed his head down on the table.

 _When did he become a hostage?_ I asked myself as I looked at Andrés for answers but he looked as confused as I was.

"Fuck it. I guess I'll do it." Denver exclaimed. "I've got a kind face you can tell just by looking at me."

"You're no kind face. You break kind faces." Helsinki said as both he and Denver began to laugh.

"Helsinki or I will do it. If we don't have to talk much." Oslo offered.

"Good idea." Nairobi said uneasily. "You could but no. Paris?"

"What do you expect me to do?" I asked sharply. "The police still think I'm a hostage. Remember?"

"But you're not anymore." She protested. "Plus it would be perfect. You're a mother who decided to join us regardless of how the media is portraying us. If you were to tell your story to the world then they might see us as heroes."

"No." Berlin deadpanned.

"She can speak for herself." Nairobi snapped.

"I'm not doing it." I said with a shrug. "Find someone else."

"Okay then I'll do it." Nairobi said with a reluctant sigh. "With a mask on."

"With a mask?" Andrés asked with a scoff. "On a live interview? What are we? Terrorists? No."

"This interview has to have one of us without a mask so that our eyes can be felt by all of Spain. They need to hear us breathe so that they can understand our pain. And feel a little bit of pity." He said as Alex began to stir in his arms and she slowly picked her head up and looked at us with a small smile.

"Yeah." Nairobi said emphatically. "I'm guessing that you want to do it?"

"Except there's just one problem." She added as my eyebrows raised in amusement.

_We all knew Berlin was the only person capable of doing this and she'd be a fool to not let him speak for us all._

"Which is?" I asked.

"You see I've only known one guy who's never shown any pain or sorrow and that's you Berlin." Nairobi said.

_My darling if you only knew just how much pain this man has been through._

"Let him go on TV." Alex whined as Andrès smirked widely at her vote of confidence in him.

"Tokyo isn't here and Rio would rather not." Berlin said as Rio glared at everybody after the mention of his and his girlfriends name. "Don't try and silence someone who is good at what he does Nairobi. I can be a good master of ceremonies."

"He's right." Helsinki said. "He knows how to act very well."

"Alright." Nairobi said as she nodded her head at Berlin. "It's all yours."

"Perfect!" I exclaimed with a grin.

"When is this interview happening?" Denver asked.

"A reporter and the cameraman will be here momentarily." The woman in command said as Berlin chuckled.

"You didn't even give me time to prepare?" Andrés asked patronizingly with a laugh. "How rude of you Nairobi."

"Just get yourself ready." She snapped in response. "Paris, Oslo, Helsinki, and myself will accompany you during your time with the reporter to make sure everything goes well."

"Denver you'll bring Rio back to the rest of the hostages and watch them all while our guests are here." She added as we all nodded our heads in understanding.

"Where do I go?" Alexandria suddenly asked. "Can I go with Andrés on TV?"

"No." I said softly as her eyes went wide at the thought of not being able to be with Berlin.

"Hey." Andrés said as she turned her head to look at him. "You can stay with me after this interview is over. Okay?"

"Okay." She said hesitantly but before she could add onto her statement Moscow's loud yells were heard throughout the building.

"There's a woman and a man with a camera walking towards the front door!" He shouted as everyone's faces except Rio's morphed into smiles.

"It's show time." Berlin said with a smirk as I pulled my mask over my head and grabbed a gun.

"Are you sure you can do this?" I asked him as he grabbed my hand comfortingly.

"Yes." He said softly. "I'm positive."

"Good luck." I said sincerely as he placed Alex on the floor.

"Go to my office and stay there." Andrés told her as she silently nodded her head. "I will come get you when it's time."

"You promise?" She asked.

"I promise." He assured her as she smiled brightly and skipped out of the room in the direction of his personal office.

"Berlin." Nairobi said. "Let's go."

"I'm ready." He replied as he made his way out of the room while Helsinki, Oslo, Denver, Nairobi, and myself all followed him down the steps and towards the front door.

"Are these the hostages we are releasing?" I asked curiously as I looked around the hall to see eleven trembling adults standing against the wall.

"Yes." Nairobi said simply as I nodded my head and stood behind Berlin.

"Are we ready?" Moscow asked as his hand hovered above the button to open the door.

"We're ready." I said as he slammed his hand down on the red circle and the doors quickly opened to reveal the two figures making their way into the hall with us.

"Close the doors." Denver ordered as Moscow hit the button once again.

"Return to your posts." Berlin snapped at Denver and Moscow as they wordlessly walked away.

"Hello and good morning." Andrés said as he took off his mask and shook the woman's hand.

"Good morning." She responded nervously.

"Thank you very much for being here." He said.

"Would you mind putting that on please?" The reporter asked as the cameraman held out a microphone to him.

"Sure." Berlin said as he grabbed the electronic device and attached it to his coveralls.

"Mr. Fonollosa I have to ask why you would let a team of journalists broadcast live from inside here?" The woman asked Berlin as the cameraman began filming.

"This is a decisive moment for all of us united in here together. Your presence is necessary to record it and make it public. Please come with me." He replied as he led the duo towards the hostages that were standing against the wall.

"These are the eleven hostages that are now going to be released. We're all a little nervous. Almost like children waiting for the school bell to ring. I want to thank you. All of you. For the bravery and courage that you've shown here. And. You especially." Berlin said as he made his way over to the pregnant hostage that stood there calmly. "You and your child. You've proven to be very strong women."

"Why have you made the decision just now after five days of captivity to release hostages?" The reporter pestered.

"Five days?" Andrés asked. "It's hard to believe that it's only been just a few days isn't it?"

"Look." He said sincerely. "We have to confess that our time spent here has been difficult. The situation is critical and we have no other option but to surrender."

 _What?_ I asked myself incredulously but as I looked at the blank expression on his face I knew it wasn't true. _He was playing them._

"That's why you're here." Berlin said. "This gesture is the beginning of the end."

"Helsinki. It's time. Please escort these brave people out of here." He ordered as Helsinki opened the doors yet again and I watched in awe as the eleven hostages ran outside of the building with relieved smiles on their faces.

"The reason we are releasing the hostages is to obtain more favorable treatment and conditions from the police." Andrés explained to the reporter as she nodded her head silently. "For our surrender."

"Have you decided to surrender?"

"We have become aware that we've lost." He said as he led the team up the steps and towards the main office.

"You've come here so we can tell the truth and here it is. We've been throughly beaten and defeated. It's important that you understand that."

"One of your teammates whom you refer to as Tokyo was recently arrested after being thrown out of the mint. Does her capture have anything to do with your sudden release of the hostages?"

"To everyone outside of this place my partners are no more then a group of thieves. But to me? These people are my companions. They are my friends. They are my family. And when Tokyo got arrested I quickly realized that no one prepares you for the loss of someone you consider to be family." Andrés said as he briefly stared into my eyes. "Some of us here already feared that we wouldn't make it out of here alive and quite frankly when Tokyo was captured it solidified that fear for me."

"So you're saying that some of you here were willing to die?" The female reporter asked.

"No. No. Not at all. We're just regular people. We have all gone through difficulties of many kinds like anyone. Like terminal illness for example." He replied as I looked down at the ground in sadness. "And we have had to take desperate actions like this so that we can leave something for our families. Something for our loved ones. I..."

I immediately lifted my head in concern as Andrés stopped talking and choked on his own words. "In fact I actually suffer from a degenerative disease and the police knew it yet they have had no shame in spreading lies about me. But let me tell you something. I may be a thief. I have been all my life. I've robbed banks, jewelry stores, and I've even broken into mansions but I have never in my life sold anyone. I have never in my life sold a woman. I'd never do anything as terrible as trafficking or raping minors. _That's not me._ You can ask the police when you get out of here what file these cases are kept in."

"So you're saying the police have been lying to the public?" The reporter asked in shock.

"The police lie." Andrés said emotionally. "The police have lied to the public. They've lied to my friends. They've completely destroyed my family name."

"I am a thief." He said sincerely as one single tear slipped down his cheek. "But I have every right in the world to not be defamed. I have the same right as anyone else."

"To die in peace." He added with a slight tremble in his voice. "With dignity."

"Okay!" Nairobi shouted as I silently thanked her in my head. "This interview is over. Helsinki and Oslo please escort them out."

"Got it." Oslo said as the reporter and the cameraman looked at Andrés with pity as they left the room with the two Serbians.

"Are you okay?" I asked him as I ripped off my mask and placed my gun on the table.

"How did I do?" He asked as he lifted his head with a cunning smirk.

_This motherfucker actually made me believe he was sincere._

"You bastard." I said with a chuckle as I shook my head in disbelief. "You were excellent."

"As much as I hate to admit it she's right." Nairobi said as she took her own mask off and I nodded my head in silence.

"Where's Alex?" I asked as I walked out of the room and peeked into Berlin's office.

"Is she not in there?" Andrés asked in confusion.

"No." I said with a panicked voice. "Where is she?!"

 _"Mommy!"_ I heard a young voice scream and my eyes immediately snapped to Berlin's.

"Go!" He shouted as he grabbed his gun and began to run towards the sound with Nairobi hot on our trail.

"Oh my god." I breathed out as I took in the scene in front of me.

All the hostages except Mónica were standing behind Arturo as he held a gun up to Alex's chest while Denver, Moscow, Oslo, Helsinki, and Rio looked on in shock.

"Nobody move or I swear to god I'll shoot her!" Arturo screamed.

"Let my daughter go!" I screamed in agony as I watched Alex begin to cry.

"Mommy? Andrés?" She choked out as Berlin looked at her with pure fear etched across his face and I immediately cursed myself out for leaving my gun on the table upstairs.

"Berlin what the hell are you doing?!" Nairobi screamed as we watched Berlin begin to move.

Everyone stood in absolute shock because in that moment Andrés de Fonollosa stepped in front of a loaded M-16 to try and save the life of someone that wasn't himself.

 _No_.

It was to save the life of my little girl who had effectively stolen his heart.

"Alexandria go back to your mom." He whispered to her.

"Is the bad man going to hurt you?" She asked as her lip started to tremble out of fear for Andrés and her eyes pooled with wet tears.

"Go back to your mom." Berlin repeated softly as he stroked her hair comfortingly.

"No." She said defiantly as she flung her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

"Paris." Berlin said to me as he gestured to the girl in his arms. "Take her."

"Mommy don't!" Alexandria screamed as I moved foreword and my strong grip pulled her away from Berlin.

"The bad man is going to hurt him!" She cried.

"He won't." I tried to assure her as I pulled her into a bone crushing hug.

"Open the door!" Arturo yelled.

" _Arturito_." Berlin said smoothly as he stared straight into the loaded barrel of the M-16. "If this is the end for me then just shoot me now. I'm sure you've heard that I'm dying anyway so my fate is irreversible. So just do it."

_Fucking. Hell._

"Come on! Do it!" Andrés screamed.

"Nairobi." I said softly as I handed her Alexandria. "Take her into the other room."

"What?" She asked in confusion. "Why?"

"Just do it!" I screamed in frustration as she visibly jumped from my sudden outburst. "Now!"

"Okay." She said barley above a whisper as she walked into the other room with Alexandria crying hysterically in her arms.

"Do it!" Berlin screamed as Arturo flipped off the safety latch and positioned his gun so that it was aimed at his heart but before he could pull the trigger I swiftly stole Denver's gun from his hand and I shot Arturo directly in the shoulder.

I watched in amusement as he dropped the gun and fell to the ground in searing pain.

"Fucking bitch! You're just Berlin's whore!" He screamed out as he clutched at the wound I had just inflicted upon him.

"You almost killed my daughter." I said calmly as I walked over to Arturo and kneeled over his body.

"I'm sorry." He trembled as his sudden bravery vanished.

"You're sorry?" I asked patronizingly as I pushed the head of the gun into his wound harshly.

" _Fuck_." He hissed out in pain.

"Would you have used those same words once you shot her in cold blood?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow. "Would you have said that you were sorry?"

"I wasn't going to hurt her." He sobbed.

"Somehow I find that very hard to believe." I said as I let out a wicked cackle.

"Please don't kill me." He cried. "Please just let me go."

"I'm afraid that isn't an option." I said unapologetically.

"No!" He whimpered. "No!"

"You shouldn't have underestimated the power that love truly holds because if you hadn't then perhaps your fate would've been drastically different but I suppose now we'll never find out." I said with a wide grin as I lowered my gun from his wound and continuously shot him in his stomach until the chamber of the gun emptied out every bullet that was left.

I looked on in satisfaction as his breathing stopped abruptly and his body went deathly still.

I could practically feel Berlin's proud gaze burning into my back as I observed the now lifeless body of Arturo Román.

"Holy fuck." Rio exclaimed in shock as Arturo's blood pooled onto the floor to create a large puddle but his body still remained motionless.

"Is anyone else scared?" Denver asked nervously as he began to hesitantly back away from me.

"If any of you want to play the game." I said emphatically as I stood up and threw the empty gun to the ground while simultaneously turning around to face the remaining hostages in the room. "Then let's fucking play."

Nobody said a word.

Nobody moved.

Nobody even dared to take a breath.

And for some odd reason that gave me an unwavering feeling of power and I loved it.

" _I suppose this proves that I truly am Berlin's whore_." I called out to them with a smirk as I bowed mockingly in their direction and walked out of the room in search of my daughter.


	15. Chapter 15: Who Really Are The Bad Guys?

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _5:56 P.M._

_"I suppose this proves that I truly am Berlin's whore." I called out to them with a smirk as I bowed mockingly in their direction and walked out of the room in search of my daughter._

"Alex!" I screamed as I walked into Berlin's office and I saw her crying into Nairobi's chest.

"Alex." I said again as she immediately looked up at me with wet eyes.

"Mommy?" She asked sadly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay." I assured her.

"Where's Andrés?" She questioned.

"I'm right here." He called out as he made his way in the room and stood right next to me.

"You're okay!" She whimpered out as she untangled herself from Nairobi's grasp and ran straight into Berlin's arms.

"I'm okay." He said softly as he held her close to his chest.

"What happened?" Alex asked barely above a whisper as she dug her face into Andrés' shoulder.

"Paris saved me." Berlin admitted as Alex lifted her head up slightly to look into my eyes.

"Mommy? You saved him?" She asked.

"Yeah baby." I said with a small smile as I knelt down beside the duo and placed my hand on Berlin's shoulder. "But the important thing to focus on is that both of you are okay."

"Indeed we are." Andrés said as Alex nodded her head and placed her head back on his shoulder.

"What happened to Arturo?" Nairobi suddenly asked as my head snapped over to her.

"He's currently indisposed." I replied as her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"What does that mean?" She pestered. "Paris what did you do to him?"

"She killed him." Berlin said nonchalantly as he placed his hands over Alex's ears to ensure she wouldn't hear his words but it was useless considering she had already dozed off to sleep in his arms yet again.

"What?!" Nairobi asked incredulously. "What do you mean she killed him?!"

"It means exactly what I said." He said seemingly irritated by her lack of understanding.

"What the fuck?!" Nairobi screamed. "You broke the first rule! The first fucking rule!"

"He was threatening to shoot my daughter!" I screamed back. "What the fuck did you expect me to do?! Give him a slap on the wrist?!"

"You broke a rule that _The Professor_ gave us all!" She exclaimed as she began to rattle off a dozen questions at once. "What did the others do?! What did you do with the body?! What the hell are the police going to think?! What is _The Professor_ going to think?!"

"The Professor is going to understand because of the circumstances." Berlin snapped harshly. "So I suggest you leave us alone before I shoot _you_ as well."

"Go reprimand your children downstairs who helped Arturo with his plan." I said bitterly. "After all you are our precious queen."

"So go punish your peasants." Berlin added with a cunning smirk.

"Don't talk to me like that." Nairobi said with narrowed eyes. "Or have you both already forgotten that I'm still in charge?"

"And what a marvelous job you've done since you've taken control." Andrés commended with fake enthusiasm. "You've effectively allowed Alex to almost get shot. You were too lenient with the hostages which resulted in them attempting to escape for a _second_ time. And you pushed away Paris who was the only woman sane enough to defend me against your cruel and quite frankly childish play for power."

"The only good thing you've done as leader was allow me to conduct the interview." He said with a chuckle. "Which in tow has given us the support of the public."

"Fuck off Berlin." She shot at him as she stormed out of the room without even sparing me a glance.

"Well that went well." I said with a smile as he mirrored expression and held Alex closer to his chest as a comfortable silence enveloped the room.

He had saved Alex and I had saved him. But the real truth was that he unknowingly saved me the moment he walked into this building. Although for some reason I wasn't ready to tell him that quite yet.

"Thank you." I suddenly blurted out as he looked at me with a soft look in his eyes.

"For what?" He asked.

"You saved my daughter." I said sincerely. "If you hadn't done what you did then I don't know what would've happened..."

"You would've done the same thing that I had." He said sternly.

"I was scared that you were going to die." I admitted.

"I didn't." He replied.

"But you could've."

"But I didn't." He repeated and my expression softened as a result of his hand grasping my own.

"Do you regret it?" He asked curiously.

"Do I regret what?" I asked in confusion.

"Killing Arturo." He said emphatically. "Do you regret it?"

"No." I said sincerely as he nodded his head in response.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked barely above a whisper. "That I took a life and I don't regret it?"

"You took a life to save your daughter and myself." Andrés said calmly. "Why should you feel bad about that?"

"I don't know." I answered honestly.

"If you had told me a couple days ago that I would've killed a man in cold blood then I would've laughed in your face and told you to go to hell but I suppose that I would've been fooling myself because here we are."

"Here we are." He repeated as he tightened his grip on my hand.

"I've changed haven't I?" I asked him.

"Yes." He said reluctantly. "You have. But it's only due to the fact that you've had to evolve in the situations you were put in and nobody can fault you for that."

"Your brother isn't going to understand." I said knowingly.

"Then we'll make him." He said casually as the phone began to ring almost on cue.

" _Fuck_." I groaned out as he smirked at my outburst and made his way over to the device.

"Hello?" Berlin asked nonchalantly as he held the phone up to his ear.

"Andrés please tell me that what I just saw was just some cruel joke you orchestrated to mess with me." The Professor asked in a pleading voice. "Please tell me that Arturo Román isn't dead."

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Berlin said. "Arturo Román _is_ dead."

"That was the one rule!" The Professor shouted into the phone as I winced at the hostility in his voice.

"Sometimes rules have to be broken." Andrés answered.

"Let me speak to her." The Professor said softly.

"Fine." He replied as he turned his head to face me. "The Professor wants to speak to you."

_Great._

"Okay." I said weakly as I made my way over to him and grabbed the phone from his hand.

"I'm here." I said barely above a whisper.

"I'm going to start this unpleasant conversation off by asking if you're okay." Sergio said sincerely.

"I'm fine." I said honestly.

"Good. I'm genuinely glad to hear that." The Professor said but the sincerity in his voice quickly vanished as he continued to speak. "What the hell were you thinking? Do you realize what you've just done?"

"He was going to shoot my daughter." I protested. "And Berlin."

"We're not killers." The Professor said sternly.

"Then what are we?" I countered.

"We're Robin Hood's." He answered simply as I let out a chuckle of disbelief.

"Robin Hood's." I repeated slowly as Andrés shook his head in annoyance at his brothers words.

"Let me tell you something _Professor_." I said as I emphasized his name. "We are _thieves_. And nothing can change that fact. You understand that right?"

"We aren't stealing the governments money." He argued.

"No. I suppose we aren't." I said with a scoff. "But what we _are_ doing is holding dozens of people hostage and using the equipment inside of this building that doesn't belong to us so that we can print our own money. But I guess that doesn't matter. Huh?"

"Paris you're treading on thin ice with me." He said with evident irritation in his voice. "I suggest you stop this now and give me a solution to the problem you created when you killed someone."

"You want a fucking solution?!" I snapped.

"Yes."

"Put Berlin back in charge." I said emphatically. "Nairobi has proven she can't lead therefore you have no other option then to put Berlin back in."

"Unless Nairobi willingly gives up her power then that won't happen." The Professor said. "I'm not taking away her leadership just because of a mistake you made which you still have yet to give me a solution too."

"Release the video." Andrés suddenly said as I looked at him with wide eyes.

"What?!" The Professor and I blurted out in unison.

"We can't release the video." I said. "Otherwise I'm fucked if we get caught."

"Listen to me." Berlin said. "If The Professor releases an edited version of the video feed to the media then he can make sure it doesn't show you killing Arturo."

"It would only showcase him holding Alex hostage and threatening to kill her. The video would end with you shooting him in the shoulder." He added as my face lit up with the mention of his idea.

"That's brilliant!" I exclaimed.

"I'm not sure..." The Professor said hesitantly.

"Think about it. If the public sees Berlin save Alex and insist on Arturo killing him instead then the public and the media will focus in on that." I said sincerely. "They'll have no choice but to side with the man who saved the five year old little girl from getting killed."

"She's right." Andrés said as The Professor sighed from the other end of the line.

"Fine. I guess that'll have to work. I'll release the video. Keep the television on so you can keep up with the news feed." He said as he hung up the phone sharply without saying another word.

"What do we do now?" I asked as I looked at Andrés.

"We go find Nairobi and convince her to give me back control." He answered simply as I nodded my head.

"I want you to lead with me." He suddenly said as my eyes snapped to his in disbelief.

"What?" I asked breathlessly.

"I want you to lead with me." He repeated with a chuckle.

"Why?" I asked incredulously. "I've been apart of this group for a mere few days and now you want me to run this heist with you?!"

"Yes." He said casually as he placed Alex down on the couch and walked over to me. "I want you to share this with me."

"I can't." I said softly. "It isn't fair."

"It isn't fair to who?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"To the others." I answered. "They've all been here a lot longer then me. One of them deserves this more."

"No they don't."

"No?" I questioned.

"No." He said again. "You are the only woman capable of doing what's necessary to protect the plan and you proved that downstairs when you executed Arturo."

"Stop saying that as if it's something I should be proud of." I said harshly.

"Aren't you proud of it?" He asked.

"No." I snapped.

"Well you should be."

"Have you gone crazy?"

"No." He said with a laugh. "I'm just being honest which is not an easy thing for me to do."

"No shit." I choked out bitterly.

"Regardless on if you are proud of what you did or not it doesn't change the fact that you saved this whole team from Arturo escaping."

"You saved Rio and Tokyo's lives. You saved Moscow from his panic attack. Not to mention that you saved my life _twice_." He added. "You've already proven yourself countless times so why won't you accept that and lead with me?"

"If I lead..." I started to say as my voice began to shake a little. "If I lead this team with you then that will mean that whatever happens next...good or bad...will be a direct result of _our_ choices."

"Yes." He replied.

"What if we fail?" I asked genuinely.

"We won't." He said emphatically.

"How can you be so sure?" I pestered.

"Do you trust me?" He asked softly as he looked into my eyes seemingly looking for any indication of an answer.

_Did I trust him?_ I thought to myself. _Of course I did. I don't think I've ever trusted anyone more._

"Yes." I admitted. "I trust you."

"Then agree to rule this place with me." He practically begged. "Become my equal."

"We were always equals." I shot at him as he struggled to hold in his chuckle.

"Of course _mi reina_." He said with a slight nod.

"I'll lead with you." I said as I looked into his eyes. "And then when all of this is over I'm going to leave here with you."

"With me?" He repeated with a wide grin.

"With you." I said as I mirrored his facial expression and he pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm going to give you the best life for as long as I can." He whispered into my ear as I brought his face closer to my own.

"I'm not letting you go without a fight." I said sincerely. "I hope you know that."

"I've never doubted it for a second _mi amore_." He said and instead of replying back I captured his mouth with my own in a passionate kiss.

He dropped his lips to my neck and began to leave soft kisses on my pulse line as I fought the urge to moan out in response.

"Andrés." I said breathlessly. "We can't...Alex...she's right over there..."

"She's sleeping." He replied back with a smirk as he moved his hands down my body to squeeze my backside.

"She could...she...she could wake up." I moaned out as he reluctantly removed his hand and groaned out in frustration.

"Fine." He said softly as he moved away from me to create distance between us both.

"Welcome to the world of being a parent." I said sarcastically as he chuckled at my words.

"Oslo!" Berlin screamed out as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion when the Serbian made his way into the room.

"You bellowed?" Oslo asked with a raised eyebrow as I snorted.

"I need you to watch Alex while Paris and I take a small field trip." Andrés said as Oslo nodded his head wordlessly and sat down on the couch beside my daughter.

"Thank you." I mouthed to him as he nodded his head and watched as I was led out of the room by Berlin.

"What are we doing?" I asked him curiously. "Are you going to take me to a separate room so you can sleep with me again?"

"No." He said with a wicked smile. "Although that is a wonderful suggestion for next time."

"So if we aren't going to fuck then where are you taking me?" I asked pointedly.

"We're going to go and force Nairobi to give us our power back."

"Ah." I said as the realization hit me full force. "Then let's go."

"Wait." He said as we stopped at the edge of the stair case.

"What?" I asked confused as to why he stopped walking.

"What the fuck is she doing?" Berlin asked as we watched Nairobi hysterically cry and shout at the hostages.

"She's breaking down." I said softly. "She couldn't handle it all."

"Hey." Andrés said as he turned his head to look at me. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Yeah." I said as I nodded my head. "I just feel horrible for her."

"Don't." He said emphatically.

"What do you mean don't?" I asked sharply.

"You need to flip the switch with your personality." He said softly. "You need to become the woman who pulled the trigger and killed a man to protect her team again."

" _That's_ who we need as a leader. Not a woman who feels sympathy for her friends who have proved they aren't worthy of her friendship." He added as I slowly nodded my head. "Do you understand?"

"I understand." I said as I recomposed myself and I felt him grab my hand and interlace our fingers together.

_If he wants the bitch then he'll get the bitch._ I thought to myself as we refocused our attention back onto the woman crying only a mere ten feet away.

"I tried to save you!" Nairobi cried. "I tried to save you from Berlin! I tried to be kind! And you still don't respect me!"

"What do I need to do to get you to respect me?! Huh?! Do I need to kill one of you?!" She sobbed.

"What a great idea!" Andrés screamed as he tugged at my hand and we walked down the stairs together.

Everyone stared at us wide eyed as we looked around the room.

Arturo's body was gone.

All that was left was a slight red tint to the ground where his blood had originally sat.

But besides that you'd never be able to tell someone was killed inside of these walls.

"The time has come to be practical." Berlin began to say. "The utopia collaboration has failed."

"Nairobi." He said as we walked up to her. "I appreciate you allowing us to take some time off from our duties, but I think we're all ready for me to assume control again."

"They're all yours." She said in defeat as she walked away while crying and I smiled inwardly to myself that it was so easy for her to give Berlin back his rightful position.

"I think it's only fair of me to inform you all that I won't be leading this team alone anymore." He called out to the group of hostages as they all let out soft murmurs of confusion.

"Paris will also be in command." Andrés said as they all stared at me in shock. "She has proven herself worthy."

"I thought you were a hostage." A woman whispered out.

"Oh I was." I said with a chuckle. "But then you all decided to target my child which forced me to kill."

"Anyone who touches, breathes, or even looks at _our_ daughter will be executed immediately!" Berlin snapped. "Is that clear?!"

_Our daughter?_ I questioned to myself but I remained silent as the hostages nodded their heads.

"Good." He replied as I smiled at his happiness.

"This is a marvelous moment." Berlin said as he let out a sigh of content.

"Stand up!" I screamed as Andrés took off his head wrap that was stained with blood.

"I told you that I was going to protect you." He said as I began to rip off the masks from the hostages faces. "Didn't I?"

Utter silence consumed the room as nobody dared to speak a word.

"But I've changed my mind. It's a lot more practical to torture you. In the concentration camps respect for those in charge was mandatory. Well here it's going to work the same. You will be digging the tunnel until your hands are bleeding and at night you might cry in agony and yearn for relief but the next day you will keep on digging. You'll work in shifts without rest otherwise real punishment will be enforced." He said with a smirk as he pointed towards the end of the hallway. "Just like your friend."

Everyone gasped softly as a student named Pablo was shoved in front of everybody with a bomb taped to his chest.

I looked behind the terrified boy to see Helsinki smiling widely and I had no doubt in my mind that this was his idea and judging by Berlin's lack of surprise he knew full well that this was going to happen.

"A man who if he betrays us like Arturo did he dies. If he ever strives for freedom he dies. If he sweats...dead. A man I consider explosive. And now they'll be afraid of you Pablo although at least the ladies might start calling you the bomb." Berlin said with a chuckle. "Since you're an outcast you're going to stay here secluded. Helsinki and everyone else to the tunnel!"

"Come on let's go." Helsinki said as the rest of the hostages began to follow him out of the room.

_"Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...Tick Tock...BOOM."_ Berlin whispered mockingly as I let out a wicked cackle in response.

"Berlin!" Denver shouted as he frantically ran down the steps with Rio by his side effectively ruining the display of power being showcased. "Your face is all over the news!"

_Apparently Rio was forgiven for his act of treason._ I thought to myself sarcastically.

"You have to see this." Rio said barely above a whisper. "It's amazing!"

"Let's go." I said softly as I grabbed Berlin's hand and walked up the stairs with Denver and Rio leading the way.

"Look!" Denver exclaimed as we walked into the main office and he gestured to the television proudly displaying Andrés' mugshot.

_"We have some more breaking news regarding the heist of the Royal Mint of Spain."_ A female reporter said into the microphone. " _A video was leaked just moments ago that shows the five year old daughter of hostage and high ranking art appraiser Paris Laurent being held at gunpoint by the director of the mint Arturo Román."_

"They're showing this everywhere." Rio informed us as my eyebrows raised up in surprise.

_"Sources say that Mr. Román was holding a military grade M-16 in his hands and was pointing it at the visibly trembling girl. The video then goes on to show Andrés de Fonollosa who is the leader of the group of robbers inside of the mint and who was previously accused of crimes regarding sex trafficking and prostitution stepping in front of the young girl to protect her."_

As the woman narrated the events of the most traumatic experience of my daughters life I felt myself leaning into Berlin's side.

_"Once he successfully shielded her from the gun he could be heard telling the minor to go back to her mother but the young girl seemingly refused and threw herself onto Fonollosa in an emotional hug until her mother Paris Laurent ripped her off of him and took her daughter to safety. This was a pure and heroic act committed by Andrés de Fonollosa. Which leads the public to question...who really are the bad guys?"_

"They're making you out to be a hero." Denver said to Andrés in astonishment.

"He _is_ a hero." I clarified. "He saved my daughter."

"How is the tunnel coming along?" Berlin asked Denver curiously.

"We only have a few more meters left." The younger man informed him as Andrés nodded his head seemingly pleased at his words.

"Good." Berlin replied with a smile. "I'm sure you've already heard that I'm back in charge?"

"Nairobi told us." Rio said.

"Well then I want you all to go back to work." He ordered as everyone nodded their heads.

"I'm going to go check on Alex." Andrés said as he placed a soft kiss on my forehead and walked out of the room with Denver following closely behind him.

"Paris." Rio said barely above a whisper. "Can we talk?"

"What?" I asked sharply as I turned to face him. "What could you possibly want?"

"I wanted to apologize." He said softly. "I've been acting a little crazy lately haven't I?"

I studied him as he began to tremble with guilt and I sighed loudly.

I couldn't pretend to ignore his pain no matter what Andrés said because all of these people were my friends whether I liked it or not.

"Yeah you've kind of gone a little psycho." I said sincerely.

"I know." He replied and after that we both said nothing.

It was quiet for a few moments before he finally spoke again.

"I never meant to do all of this." He blurted out.

"I know." I said genuinely. "I never thought you did."

"I miss her." He admitted. "I really loved her."

"And she loved you too." I said with a small smile but before he could reply a faint ringing sound overtook the room.

"What the fuck is that?" I asked incredulously as I looked around for the source.

"Oh shit!" Rio exclaimed as he pulled out a small cell phone from his pocket.

"Rio?! What the fuck?! Where did you get that?!" I shouted.

"It's Allison Parkers phone." He said quickly as my mouth dropped open in shock.

"Have you lost your damn mind?!" I screamed.

"I thought we just established that I went a little crazy?" He asked as he answered the call and lifted the phone up to his ear.

"Yes?" He asked into the speaker as I grabbed one of the guns out of a box in the corner of the room and held it in my hand cautiously.

"Rio?" A female voice asked. "It's Tokyo."

"Tokyo?" I breathed out in shock.

"Where are you?" Rio asked but he immediately retracted his statement as soon as he asked. "Wait! The police can hear us!"

"Doesn't matter." She replied quickly. "This is a love call. And the police are crazy about love."

_She's gone crazy._

"Listen to me. Do you remember the door my mother used to draw when I was afraid?" She asked Rio as he nodded his head with a large smile on his face.

To say I was confused beyond belief would be an understatement.

"Yes...of course I remember." He said softly. "What about it?"

"I'm going to enter it. I'm going to enter the door to Heaven because my guardian angel didn't show up."

"In one minute." She added. "I love you."

"You too." He replied as he ended the call with a confused look on his face.

But I wasn't confused.

Because the realization of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks once I had understood what exactly she had meant.

_She was coming back._

"Rio." I said nervously. "She's coming back."

"What?" He asked incredulously but I didn't get a chance to answer his question because as soon as he digested my words he was already running out of the room and down the steps with me following quickly behind him.

"What is going on?!" Moscow screamed.

"Tokyo is coming back!" Rio shouted as both Moscow's and Denver's eyes went wide.

"We have to open the door for her!" He yelled as he practically tackled Denver.

"Let's go!" Moscow said as he pulled his mask over his face.

"Paris!" Rio exclaimed as he slammed his hand down on the button to open the doors. "Are you with us?!"

"I'm with you." I said with a small smile as I put my mask on and flipped the safety latch off of my gun.

I suppose it was only fair that I helped to bring Tokyo back...after all she was thrown out for _me_.

"That has to be her." Rio said in an exasperated tone as the doors opened to reveal a woman on a motorcycle making her way past the police.

"Come on!" I screamed as I made my way outside with Moscow and Rio behind me.

"Papà! Paris! Rio! Watch out!" Denver shouted but I ignored his words.

All I focused on in that moment was shooting at every cop that I could.

And I watched on with a smirk as Tokyo approached the steps on her bike and before I knew it she had skidded into the building safely.

"Go back inside!" Rio screamed as he grabbed my hand and pulled me in behind him.

"Moscow let's go!" I shouted as he stumbled in behind us and I watched as the doors closed shut offering us a slim reassurance of safety.

"What the fuck is going on?!" A loud voice screamed and I immediately recognized it to be Berlin's.

_Shit._

"Are you okay?!" He asked incredulously as he jogged over to me and wrapped his arm around my waist.

"I'm fine." I said as I ripped off my mask and put my gun inside of my coveralls.

_I was fine._

But little did I know another member of our team wasn't.

Because in that moment Nairobi's piercing cry was the only thing I heard and as I turned my head to see what had caused her to react in such a way that's when I saw Moscow fall to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

The only reaction I could muster was a loud gasp as my eyes surveyed the scene in front of me.

_He had been shot._


	16. Chapter 16: It's Fonollosa.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _9:03 A.M._

"Moscow!" I shouted in disbelief as I ran over to him and knelt down beside his body.

"Someone get the first aid kit!" I screamed as Denver reiterated my words.

"Someone get the first aid kit!" He yelled as Rio ran full speed up the steps.

"Fuck!" I screamed in frustration as I watched Moscow's breathing begin to decrease.

"Moscow. You're going to be okay." Tokyo said softly as she appeared across from me and grabbed one of the older mans hands in her own.

"Papà you just need to stay with us okay?" Denver asked weakly.

"Denver! Cover the wound." I ordered as his hands quickly pressed down on the bleeding section of Moscow's stomach.

"I've got the kit!" Rio yelled as he ran towards us and dropped the box down beside me.

"Take it easy. Look at me." Denver cooed as Moscow struggled to hold his chin up towards us. "That's it. Just look at me."

"It's a scratch on the side that's all." Moscow choked out clearly trying to comfort his son even though he was slowly bleeding out on the ground because _that's_ what a good parent did. They put the needs of their children ahead of their own no matter what the circumstances or the costs were.

"Turn him." I said softly as Helsinki and Denver quickly turned Moscow onto his side.

I shook my head in disappointment when I saw there was no exit hole on his back which meant the bullet was still inside of him.

"Paris." Berlin asked in a monotone voice. "How's it looking?"

"There's no exit hole which means the bullet is still lodged inside of him." I said as I gave him a look that portrayed my evident frustration.

"Nairobi!" Berlin screamed as she stopped running around like a headless chicken and made her way over to the group.

"I'm coming!" She yelled as she knelt down beside Helsinki and helped us roll Moscow onto his back yet again.

"We need to stop the bleeding." Denver said through his tears. "We need too."

"Don't worry son...I have loads of blood in me...do you know how much blood sausage I've eaten..." Moscow struggled to say as I frowned.

"Okay. Hold him in place." I said to Helsinki and Tokyo as they gently held down Moscow's shoulders.

"Berlin!" I exclaimed as he dropped down to my side immediately. "Get the morphine!"

"I've got it." He said as he stabbed the needle into Moscow's arm and emptied the syringe and its contents into his bloodstream.

"I'm starting the line for him now." I called out as everyone looked on in anticipation and I smiled softly when I did it with ease. "I've got it!"

I grabbed a pair of scissors from the first aid kit on the ground and I carefully sliced through Moscow's coveralls.

"Berlin pull this." I said as he grabbed the other end of the jumpsuit I had just cut into and ripped it open with me.

"Wait!" I screamed breathlessly as I realized it wasn't just one bullet that was shot into the poor mans stomach.

It was _three_.

"Shit." I muttered as Andrés looked at me and he shook his head knowingly.

"Okay..." I stuttered as I realized the severity of the wounds. "I'm...I'm...going to get some gauzes."

"Breathe slowly." Helsinki told Moscow.

"I found them." I said barely above a whisper as I placed them over all three gunshot wounds and I held them down to try and stop the bleeding but nothing worked.

Denver frantically looked around at all of us seemingly searching for any ounce of hope from our faces but he found nothing.

"Berlin." I said as I looked up at him. "Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah." He said as Tokyo took over the task of holding the gauzes against Moscow's wounds and I wordlessly grabbed onto Berlin's outstretched hand and allowed myself to be led away from the group.

"I can't help him." I admitted as his grip on my hand tightened.

"I know." He said with a gentle nod of his head.

"We need to call Inspector Murillo and negotiate for a surgeon to come in here and save him." I said as I quickly dragged him up the steps and into the main office.

"We can't call her." Andres said emphatically as I looked at him perplexed.

"And why the hell not?" I snapped.

"It's not apart of the plan." He said. "I'm not just thinking of Moscow. I'm thinking of you as well."

"I can't help him Andrés!" I exclaimed. "Which means he's going to die!"

"How would you feel if that was your brother down there?!" I shouted. "Huh? Wouldn't you do everything possible in order to save him?!"

"Of course I would." He responded.

"Well that's Denver's father lying on that floor." I said emotionally. "That's the only family he's got and if we don't get Moscow help...then...Denver will be alone...forever."

"Paris." He said softly. "That's not fair."

"No!" I shouted loudly. "Don't say that!"

"What I want you to say is that you'll call The Professor and get help." I added with pleading eyes.

"Okay." He said as he nodded his head slowly.

"Okay?" I asked still unsure of his response.

"Okay." He repeated as he pulled me into a hug and I rested my face in the crook of his neck. "Just calm down."

"I can't." I said as he moved us towards the phone and I moved away from his body.

I watched on as Andrés dialed the number on the phone and held the device up to his ear as it began to ring.

"Hello." A male voice asked.

"I'd like to speak with Inspector Murillo please." Andrés said.

"Intelligence has taken over this case so from now on you'll be speaking to me. I'm Colonel Prieto." The man replied.

"Colonel." Berlin said smoothly as he placed his hand around my waist and pulled me back into his side.

"It's Fonollosa." He said in his silky voice as I leaned my head closer to the phone so I could hear what the Colonel was saying.

"I would ask you what you're wearing but I don't have time for chit chat considering you just put three bullets into one of my men." Berlin said calmly as he lowered his hand to my ass and squeezed it slightly. "I want you to send a surgeon in here. Now."

"I'm not sending in anymore doctors." The man replied sternly. "If you want medical assistance then bring your wounded partner outside and an ambulance will be waiting for him."

_No. No. No. No. No._ I kept repeating in my head as I looked up at Andrés and he shook his head indicating for me to stay quiet.

"I'm not turning in any of my men Colonel." Andrés said.

"Then his blood is on your hands." The Colonel said.

"So be it." Andrés replied. "We'll figure it out ourselves."

"I'm assuming Miss Laurent is standing with you?" The Colonel asked through the phone. "May I speak with her?"

Berlin looked down at me with a grin as I took the phone from him with a shrug.

"It's Laurent." I said into the receiver as I bit the corner of my nail dismissively and tried to keep my mind off of the dying man on the first floor.

"Ms. Laurent." The Colonel said with fake enthusiasm in his voice. "I hope your daughter is doing well after that terrible scare we all had the displeasure of witnessing."

"My daughter is doing fine." I said causally. "Thank you for your concern."

"Of course." He said. "After all children are very important and innocent."

"Although I do wonder how your daughter will be doing when you are charged with first degree murder." He added.

"And why would I be charged with first degree murder?" I asked in amusement.

"Do you really expect me to believe that you only shot the director of the mint once after he held your daughter at gun point?" He asked with a chuckle. "Ms. Laurent I will admit that I am a lot of things but stupid is not one of them."

"I never doubted that for a second." I said with a grin. "But as unfortunate as it is for me to say I'm afraid that Arturo Román is very much alive."

"Then I suppose it won't be too much trouble if you put Mr. Román on the phone then." The Colonel said. "Just so I can verify that he is infact alive. Plus I might take it as a sign of good faith when you all decide to surrender."

"I'm afraid that Mr. Román can't come to the phone right now." I replied with a smirk. "He's currently preoccupied with other activities."

"Goodbye Colonel. I truly hope that you have a great day." I said sincerely as I immediately hung up the phone right after I finished my sentence.

"So he isn't sending in a surgeon." Andrés said calmly. "What do we do now?"

I took a deep breath before I began to speak again. "We keep him stabilized and we wait."

"We wait for what?" He asked.

"We wait for Moscow to die." I replied softly as my voice cracked.

_It was my fault. I couldn't save him._ I thought to myself.

"Paris it isn't your fault." Berlin said almost as if he could hear my thoughts.

"I don't know if I can do this Andrés." I said sincerely.

"Look at me." He said as he placed his finger underneath my chin and I lifted my eyes up to meet his own. "Moscow made his own decision to run out there and help Tokyo. It isn't your fault."

"I know."

"Now." He said. "How do we make sure Moscow is the most comfortable he can be?"

"We need to make sure someone is switching out his gauzes and giving him a shot of morphine every four hours." I said. "And someone needs to be sitting with him so he doesn't fall asleep."

"Then we'll do that."

"I have to go tell Denver that his father isn't going to make it." I said barely above a whisper.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Andrés asked.

"No." I said. "You should go check on Alex and then go sit with Moscow."

"Why do you want me to sit with him?"

"Because as much as I hate to say this he needs someone who understands." I said with shame evident in my voice.

"Because I'm dying too." He said as I nodded my head and wiped away a small tear that fell from my eyes.

"Because you're dying too." I repeated and I fought away the urge to burst out into tears at the sound of my words.

"I'll meet you back up here soon." He said as he kissed my forehead softly and walked out of the room.

And I silently thanked him for not continuing the conversation as I took a deep breathe and began to pull myself together.

_You have to be strong for Denver._ I told myself over and over as I slowly made my way out of the office and peered over the balcony to see if the younger man was sitting with his father but he wasn't.

It was understandable.

Denver...just like the rest of us...didn't want to face the reality of the situation.

I aimlessly walked up and down the halls of the mint as I searched for the man whom I hated when I first arrived here.

"Denver?!" I called out and stopped shortly as I heard a faint whimper from inside one of the vacant offices.

"Denver?" I asked again as I made my way inside the room and I spotted his blood soaked t-shirt hanging from his limp body as he continued to cry.

"I'm so sorry." I said softly as I wrapped my arms around his body and I felt his wet tears on my neck as he placed his head on my shoulder.

"He isn't...he...he isn't...going to...to...make it...is...is...is he?" Denver hiccuped out through his sobs.

I didn't say anything. Mainly because I didn't know how too but also because I didn't _want_ too.

But judging by the way Denver lost his almost non existent composure it was clear that my eyes had betrayed me.

"I'm sorry." I said sadly as I held him closer to my body. "I'm so sorry."

"How...how long...does he have?"

"A couple of hours." I said barely above a whisper. "You should go see him."

"I can't." He replied with a shaky voice.

"Denver-" I tried to say but he cut me off before I could finish.

"Can you just go?" He asked sharply as he detangled himself from my body.

"Yeah." I said clearly understanding his need to be alone. "If you need anything just come find me."

"Okay." He said through a choked up sob as I made my way out of the room and I darted into one of the nearest bathrooms I could find only to see Mónica standing by one of the sinks.

I remained silent as I walked over to the sink and wiped down my face.

"Why are you with Berlin?" She suddenly asked me as she turned to face my body. "I thought you hated him."

"I did." I said as we both chuckled at my words.

It was a comfortable change from the heavy conversation I had just been forced to endure.

"Sometimes the people you loathe the most are the ones who end up being exactly what you need." I said simply as she nodded her head in understanding.

"He tried to kill me." She said softly.

"He did." I agreed. "But I saved you."

"But then he tried to kill me again." She countered. "For a second time."

"And I saved you again." I deadpanned. "For a second time."

"I don't like him." She admitted.

"You don't have too." I responded as she nodded her head silently.

"Why are you with Denver?" I questioned, figuring it was only fair that I got to ask her the same question she asked me.

"Because I love him." She said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I think he really needs you right now." I said genuinely as I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You should go find him."

"I'm sure he doesn't need me." She tried to say.

"No." I said with a small shake of my head. "He _does_ need you."

—————————————

BERLIN'S POINT OF VIEW  
 _11:57 A.M._

"Oslo you can go now." I said to the Serbian as I made my way over to the couch and picked Alex up and into my arms.

"Are you sure?" Oslo asked.

"Yes. I've got her." I assured him as he nodded his head and exited out of the room quickly.

I maneuvered the younger girl so that her head was resting on my shoulder as I made my way out of the office and down the steps to the main corridor.

"Helsinki. Tokyo. Nairobi." I said smoothly. "You all can go get cleaned up. I'll sit with Moscow for now."

"Are you sure?" Nairobi asked hesitantly.

"Go." I ordered, leaving no room for argument as they all got up and left me alone with the older man.

"How are you doing?" I asked him as I sat down beside his body.

"It feels like I'm walking along the clouds." Moscow said with a smile.

"Listen." I said sincerely. "I know what you're going through."

"I know." He said with a gentle nod. "But you've had it worse than I ever have."

"I wouldn't say that." I said but his loud chuckle let me know that my efforts of trying to comfort him weren't going over as well as I'd initially hoped.

"You've known you have limited time and you've had to wait for the moment to come where you just stop breathing. You're living in limbo between life and death." He said with pity laced in his voice. "Meanwhile I'm going to die in mere minutes and I know it."

"Would it be wrong of me to say I envied you just a little?" I asked him.

"No it wouldn't be wrong." The older man said as an uncomfortable silence fell upon us both.

I couldn't find anything else to say because at the end of the day what was acceptable for me to speak about?

"You don't have to sit with me." He said with a soft expression on his face effectively breaking the silence. "I knew coming into this that there was a chance I wasn't going to come out."

"I've made peace with my fate." He admitted. "It's my son that I'm worried about."

"Paris is with him right now." I informed him. "She's helping him through it all."

"She is a great woman." Moscow said.

"I agree." I said genuinely but before I could respond further Alex began to stir in my arms and I immediately placed my hand on the back of her head comfortingly and shushed her back to sleep.

"You look like a father." Moscow said with a low chuckle. "In all the time we have spent together I would've never dreamed that you'd take in a child."

"I never wanted to be a father." I admitted.

"I never did either." He said and my body stiffened at his words. "But my son turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me."

"I'm worried that she's going to end up like me if I help to raise her." I said. "Perhaps a thief or someone who has failed at five different marriages as well. It scares the living hell out of me."

"Doesn't parenthood scare us all?" Moscow asked as I laughed softly at his words.

"Yes. I suppose it does." I agreed.

"Paris has changed you. She has made you a better man and anybody can see how happy you've been these past few days with her by your side." He said to me as he grabbed my hand tightly. "Don't lose her Andrés."

"I'm not planning on it." I replied with a small smile.

"Can you promise me something?" Moscow asked.

"Anything." I said genuinely.

"Make sure my son makes it out of here alive." He said barely above a whisper. "Please."

"I won't let him die in here." I promised him as I squeezed his hand softly. "Trust me when I say I will do _whatever_ it takes to make sure everyone gets out of here alive and that includes your son."

"Thank you." He said as he smiled at me through his undoubtedly unbearable pain.

"Contrary to what anybody else says about me I'd give up my own life to save this team." I said emphatically.

"I know that." He said sincerely. "I've always known that."

"You're a good man Berlin and even if you never wanted anybody else to see that I've always believed you were."

"Imagine if I wasn't a good man?" I joked. "You would've been proven wrong on your death bed."

"Don't make me laugh you bastard. It fucking hurts." Moscow said as he bursted out laughing.

"Sorry." I said with an innocent smirk but that smirk quickly vanished once I saw the whole group make their way over to us...Denver and Mónica included.

"What's going on?" I asked Paris as she made her way over to me.

"Denver's coming to say goodbye." She whispered as I nodded my head in understanding.

———————————-

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _12:28 P.M._

"Denver's coming to say goodbye." I whispered as he nodded his head in understanding.

"Paris." Helsinki said softly as he walked over to me. "Do you want me to take Alex upstairs?"

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I don't want to be here for this." He said softly as I silently thanked him and watched as Andrés handed her over to the Serbian.

"I'm here Papà." I heard Denver say as he grabbed Moscow's hand in his own. "You just have to hold on a little longer because we're almost there. Rio told me that he can hear the Serbs digging on the other side of the tunnel."

"It's okay." Moscow choked out.

"Papà." Denver said. "That thing I said...that I hated you...I could never feel that towards you...I could never hate you okay?"

"It's okay." Moscow said again as tears glossed over his eyes.

"You did what you had to do with mom but there's no way I could hate you." Denver said as his voice cracked from emotion.

"Mónica." Moscow breathed out.

"Yes?" She asked softly.

"I'll give you three million to take him off of my hands. He's a real pain in the ass but he's all I got. But now I have to go on vacation." The older man said as a small cry escaped my lips and I felt Berlin's arms encircle around my waist.

"I understand." Mónica said with a nod.

"Take care of him." Moscow said as the younger woman nodded her head once more.

"My friends." He said as he looked around the room at all of us. "I haven't introduced myself... _Agustin Ramos_...It's been a pleasure."

Nobody responded.

Nobody even took a breath because in that moment the tears falling from everyone's eyes spoke for itself.

"I love you." Moscow said as he looked back up at Denver.

"I love you too Papà." Denver said through his sobs. "And I'm not letting you go like this. Rio bring up all the explosives we have because I'm blowing up that fucking tunnel no matter what."

"No." Moscow said quickly. "If you blow the tunnel then you'll kill us all."

"But...but...Papà...I don't want you to die..."

"You're gonna make it." He said as he ignored his sons' pleas. "Don't forget there are no regrets."

"I remember...I remember...but I don't know if I can do this..."

"I love you." Moscow said as his eyes began to flutter shut.

"I love you too." Denver said as he ran his hands down Moscow's face. "I love you too."

_That was it._ I thought to myself as I wiped my hand across my face. _Moscow was gone._

" _Por la falta de tus labios_." Denver began to sing through his tears. " _Lloré por primera vez y maldije conocerte_."

_"Por no dejar de quererte. Yo mi esposa quise hacerte. Sin amor busqué la suerte. Fui tirando de pistola y el destino trajo muerte. Maria. Mi vida. Mi amor_." He continued as I looked on in confusion.

"Andrés." I whispered softly as more of a question then anything else.

"It's his song." He said in a barely audible tone of voice as he rested his head on top of my own.

" _Prometí que volveria pero no regresaré , me agarro la policia. Maria. Mi vida. Mi amor. No dejare de quererte a balazos te perdí ya no volveras a verme_." The younger man continued to sing but as soon as he finished everyone looked at each other with fear in their eyes because this was way bigger then just a partner dying.

No.

This _meant_ something.

This _meant_ the heist was coming to an end.

And.

_This meant nobody was safe._


	17. Chapter 17: Let's Go To War.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _2:41 P.M._

"We need to take the body away." Andrés said calmly as everyone nodded their heads.

"We'll have a funeral for him in the warehouse." Nairobi said with a small smile.

"Yeah." Tokyo agreed. "It'll be beautiful."

"But only if it's okay with you." Mónica said to Denver.

"Yeah...yeah...that would be nice." Denver said as he wiped away his tears. "Papà would've liked that."

"We'll bring Moscow's body to the warehouse and get him cleaned up." Nairobi said as Tokyo agreed.

"I'll go get Helsinki and Oslo." I said sincerely as I broke away from the group.

"Can you bring Alex?" Rio called out to me.

"Yeah." I said softly. "Of course."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Andrés asked as I nodded my head yes.

"She'd probably listen to you more then she'd listen to me." I said as he walked over to me and grabbed my hand.

"It'll be alright." He said as he led us both up the steps.

"How are you so sure?" I asked him.

"Because we have each other." He replied simply as I rolled my eyes at his remark.

"Wow what a romantic." I said sarcastically as he chuckled at my words.

"If one of us doesn't make it out of here alive. What will we do?" He suddenly asked as we made our way into the office.

_What?_ I asked myself as I furrowed my eyebrows at his words.

"What makes you say that?" I questioned.

He stayed silent which furthered my confusion.

"I was just asking." He finally said as he walked over to Helsinki and Oslo.

_Alright. I guess we're done talking._ I thought to myself in an annoyed tone of voice.

"We're having a funeral for Moscow down in the warehouse." Andrés informed them. "Leave Alex with us and go down there."

"What are you doing to do?" Oslo asked.

"I have to inform The Professor about Moscow." Berlin said as they nodded their heads in understanding and left the room.

"Are you going to be able to do that?" I asked as I made my way over to the couch and I lifted Alexs' body into my arms.

"It's not like he was my father." Andrés replied as he picked up the phone and I rolled my eyes in irritation at his response.

"Hello?" The Professor asked on the other end of the line.

"Moscow is dead." Berlin said softly and the line went silent.

"How?" The Professor asked weakly.

"When Tokyo arrived at the doors Moscow was shot trying to cover her." Andrés explained as his eyes focused in on the floor.

"And Denver?" The Professor asked with a cracked voice.

"The rest of the group is preparing a small service in honor of Moscow." Berlin said as he walked over to Alex and I. "Denver is helping them."

"You should go." The Professor said sadly. "Go help them bury Moscow."

"And what will you do?" Andrés asked.

"The Serbs and I are very close to finishing the tunnel and while you all are saying your goodbyes to Moscow we will finish digging." The Professor said. "I'll see you soon."

"I'll see you soon." Berlin repeated as a small smile formed on his lips once he hung up the phone.

"Are you happy that you are going to see your brother soon?" I asked him.

"Yes." He admitted but before he had a chance to explain further the sound of my daughters voice cut him off.

"Mommy? Andrés?" Alex asked as she looked up at us.

"Yes? Sweetheart?" I asked her.

"What's happening now?" She questioned as I looked over at Andrés for help.

"A friend of ours." Berlin began to say. "He went away and now we are saying goodbye to him."

"Can I come to say goodbye?" She asked softly.

"Of course you can." I said as I stoked her hair. "I think he'd like it if you did."

"Should we go?" Berlin asked as he gestured to the door.

"Yeah." I replied as we made our way out of the office and we followed the hallway down to the stairs of the warehouse.

"Wow." I said breathlessly as we made our way down the steps and I observed Helsinki and Rio placing Moscow's plastic covered body into a wooden cargo box.

On the side of the large container it had Moscow's city name along with his date of birth and the date that he died written clearly on the side for everyone to see.

Berlin and I made our way next to the rest of the group and I slowly placed Alex down on her feet so that she could stand by herself.

The silence was almost unbearable as everyone stood silently in front of the makeshift casket.

I looked over at my daughter as she held onto my hand tightly and she watched Andrés carefully as he began to speak.

"Shall we close it?" He asked Denver.

"Is that it?" Denver asked sadly. "Shouldn't we...say a few words...at least?"

"Yeah." I said softly as a few tears ran down my face. "Yeah we should."

"Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." Denver began to say softly.

"It's thy kingdom come." Rio called out.

"What?" Denver asked sharply.

"You skipped a part. After hallowed by thy name comes thy kingdom come." Rio corrected.

"And why the fuck does that matter right now?" Denver snapped.

"If you're going to pray you better do it right." Helsinki suddenly said with a shrug.

"You think God is going to be checking to see if I did it wrong or if I did it right?" Denver asked incredulously but he quickly calmed himself down and continued his prayer. "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debters; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil."

"Amen." He finished as everyone echoed his last word faintly.

I looked over at Nairobi and Tokyo as they held each other in their arms and I slowly began to regret everything that had happened between us three.

"Come over here." Nairobi said softly as she caught my eye and gestured for me to walk over to them.

I looked down at Alex and I watched as she walked over to Mónica and hugged her tightly clearly seeing the older woman's turmoil.

"Come on." Tokyo said quietly as she opened her arms for me and I quickly made my way over to the duo and accepted their hug.

"I'm sorry." I whispered into their ears and I heard the faint whispers of their own apologies as well.

"You don't need to apologize." Tokyo cried out. "I shouldn't have tied you up like that and I shouldn't have kidnapped Berlin."

"I'm sorry Paris." She sobbed. "I...I came back...and...and now Moscow is dead...and it's my fault."

"No." I said firmly as I wiped away my own tears. "It's not your fault."

"It doesn't feel like it." She said as Nairobi held us both close to her body.

"Moscow never blamed any of us." Nairobi said softly. "So let's not blame ourselves."

"I can't believe this." Tokyo said sadly as she watched Andrés and Helsinki close the wooden box that held Moscow's body and before we knew it the drill was sealing it shut for good.

"I'm sorry Denver." I said as I broke away from the other women and I made my way over to him.

"Thank you Paris." He said softly.

"Paris. Nairobi. Helsinki." Andrés said as we all turned our attention onto him. "Let's go check on the tunnel."

"Tokyo. Rio. Go watch over the hostages in the other tunnel." He added as they nodded their heads and made their way out of the warehouse.

"Alex!" I called out. "Come over here!"

"I'm coming!" She yelled as she ran into my arms and I picked her up with ease.

"Mommy I'm tired." She said as she rested her head on my shoulder.

"Then go to sleep baby." I said softly as I began to follow Berlin and the others out of the room and towards the first tunnel.

"What exactly are we checking on?" Nairobi asked as we stepped into the silver vault.

"That." Andrés said as a rustling noise could be heard and a figure began to appear from beneath the dirt.

A hand popped up from the ladder and I watched with a small smile on my face as Berlin pulled the man up from the tunnel with a smile of his own.

No words were exchanged and for those looking on from the outside in it seemed to be an interaction that two colleagues would have but their eyes told a different story.

Their eyes revealed something that I had already knew...they had missed each other.

After all Andrés raised the man that stood in front of me but as I stood there watching the two stare at each other with pride seeping from their identical smiles I was curious as to how the others missed the connection these two clearly had.

But before I could answer my own question Berlin quickly pulled The Professor into a tight hug and I forced myself to suppress my second smile.

"Professor." Andrés said smoothly as he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. "I'd like to formally introduce you to Paris."

"Yes...hi...it's very nice to meet you." The Professor said awkwardly and I internally cooed at his shyness.

This was definitely _not_ what I thought the mastermind of the biggest heist in the world would act like.

"Paris Laurent." I said with a smirk. "Although I'm sure you already know that?"

"Indeed I do." He responded with a small grin.

"This is my daughter." I said as I gestured to the sleeping girl in my arms. "Alexandria Laurent."

"I know." He said softly and for a moment I felt like an idiot for introducing my daughter to the man who had brought her here in the first place.

"Of course." I said curtly with a chuckle.

"Professor!" Nairobi said impatiently as she kissed his cheek affectionately.

"I've missed you." Helsinki said as he engulfed the man in a bone crushing hug.

"I've missed you as well." The Professor responded but as he pulled away from Helsinki's embrace he looked at Berlin and I with a small frown.

"Where is he?" He asked us and I immediately knew who he was talking about.

_Denver._

"He's in the warehouse." Nairobi answered as she led all of us down the hall and down the steps that gave entrance into the room where we held Moscow's funeral.

Andrés and I watched as The Professor examined the wooden casket and made his way over to Denver and Mónica with a visible frown etched across his face.

"I'm so sorry." He said to Denver as he pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry."

"I know." The younger man replied as he detangled himself from The Professor and looked at the curly blonde haired woman standing a few feet away from them.

"Come here." Denver said with a sniffle as he gestured for Mónica to walk over to him.

"This is the one with the phone." Denver said with a slight chuckle as The Professor laughed lightly in response.

"Hello." The Professor said softly as he grabbed her hand.

"We can call her Stockholm if you want." Denver joked. "I mean it can't all be tears. Right?"

"Yeah." The Professor responded with a small smile. "It can't all be tears."

"You should go with them." Denver said as he gestured to Berlin, Nairobi, and I. "Go."

"I'll take you to the money." Nairobi said as she led us up the stairs and down a small hallway.

She slowly opened a door on the far left and it revealed an office full of packaged money that was stacked up to the ceiling.

"Holy shit." I breathed out as Andrés grabbed my hand tightly.

" _984 Million Euros._ " Nairobi said proudly as The Professor walked into the room and examined the money.

"984 Million Euros." He repeated almost as if he couldn't fathom the words.

"984 Million Euros." Nairobi confirmed as The Professors face broke out into a large smile.

But his happiness only lasted so long because as soon as his smile appeared it had inevitably disappeared as soon as he heard a small rustling sound coming from his pocket.

He quickly pulled out a small device and spoke into it. "What's wrong?"

"The police are coming in. _Now_!" One of the Serbs, I had assumed, said through the device.

"I've got it." The Professor said as he placed the small communication device back into his pocket and looked at us with a stern expression on his face.

"I'm going back to the hanger. I need Rio and Tokyo to start placing the bombs around the building." The Professor ordered as he began to walk back to the vault with us following quickly behind him. "Nairobi you need to get Oslo and Helsinki and the three of you need to start bringing the money down to the tunnel. We will take it out with the help of the Serbs. Denver and Mónica will patrol the building to make sure the police don't enter before we're ready."

"Paris and Berlin." He said as we reached the ladder to the tunnel and he turned to face us. "Get the hostages from the second tunnel and put them in the main hall. Then set up the browning machine gun."

"Got it." Berlin said with a firm nod as The Professor made his way down the tunnel and once again we were left alone.

"This is it isn't it?" I asked both Nairobi and Berlin. "This is the end."

"It's the end." Nairobi confirmed.

"We haven't won the war yet." Andrés said as he took Alex from my arms and placed her in his own. "We have one last battle to fight and then if all goes according to plan we'll be the ones walking away as millionaires."

_We haven't won the war yet._

That statement echoed throughout the room as the realization of the situation hit all three of us like a truck.

"One last battle." I said with a nod as I grabbed both of their hands and squeezed them tightly.

"One last battle." They both said in unison as I smiled softly at them.

" _Let's go to war_." I said emphatically.


	18. Chapter 18: I Love You Paris.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _3:13 P.M._

_"Let's go to war_." I said emphatically.

"Leave Alex in here with Nairobi." Andrés said as he looked at me. "This way she's away from the chaos."

"That's fine with me." Nairobi said as she took Alex from his arms. "I'll watch her while Helsi and Oslo help bring the money to the hanger."

"Thank you." I said sincerely as Berlin and I began to run out of the vault.

_"Help!"_

We froze as the word seemingly ricocheted off of the walls.

_It was Rio._

I looked at Berlin with wide eyes as gunshots echoed throughout the building.

"What the hell?!" I yelled as I ran towards the sound with Berlin hot on my trail.

"Get your gun!" Andrés screamed as I nodded my head and pulled my weapon out from the waist band of my jumpsuit.

"Fuck! They're right there!" Tokyo screamed as Berlin and I bursted through the doors.

"Rio use the shield!" I yelled as he picked up the metal shield and covered Tokyo and himself.

"What the fuck?" Denver asked as he ran in with Mónica by his side.

"Denver look out!" I screamed as he ducked from a bullet flying in the air.

I shook my head in disbelief as I watched Mónica pick up a gun from the ground and start shooting at the police.

_She had helped us._

"What the fuck is happening?!" I yelled as Berlin and I started shooting at the police from the steps.

"Go!" Rio screamed as he threw a small grenade towards the cops. "Go! Go! Go!"

"Fucking run!" Denver screamed as we all practically fell over each other while running into the hallway and closing the door to the warehouse behind us.

"Denver! Go get the browning machine gun and bring it to the vault! Now!" Berlin shouted as he nodded his head and ran to the vault with Mónica beside him.

"Come on!" Andrés yelled as he grabbed my hand and led us down towards the main hall.

"Hostages!" Berlin screamed and I internally questioned how they ended up out of the second tunnel and in here but I suppose that didn't matter right now. "Put your masks on and sit on the floor!"

"Mix up!" I screamed as they complied uneasily with our demands.

"It's been a pleasure robbing you! I hope we'll never have to do this again!" Andrés called out with a smirk as we ran down the hallway and down towards the vault.

"Nairobi!" We heard Tokyo yell. "The cops are in here. Is all the money gone?"

"Most of it." She said as everyone sighed in relief.

"Leave the excess. We don't need it." Helsinki said as everyone nodded.

"Denver take Mónica and go!" Andrés screamed.

"Come on." Denver said softly as he helped her climb into the tunnel.

"Get in the tunnel." Berlin said to Tokyo and Rio as they climbed down the ladder but I didn't miss the confused stare Tokyo shot Andrés as her head disappeared down the hole.

"I'll go next." Oslo said as Nairobi nodded her head.

"Do you want to go before me?" Nairobi asked as she looked at Alex and I.

"No you can go it'll be fine." I assured her.

"Take Alex with you." I called out to the black haired woman as she nodded her head and took Alex's hand in her own.

"Mommy?" Alex asked as Nairobi helped her down the ladder. "Aren't you coming with me?"

"I'll be right behind you." I assured her as she silently nodded her head.

I looked around and I realized that Helsinki, Andrés, and myself were the only ones left.

"Let's go." I said to them but nobody moved.

"Let's go." I repeated and again nobody moved.

I stood there in confusion as Berlin stared at me with a blank look on his face.

"Aren't you coming?" I asked him as he stood in silence. "Andrés?"

"I'm not going." He said as I shook my head incredulously.

"And what the fuck does _that_ mean?" I asked harshly as tears began to form in my eyes.

"If the police get down here before we go then we're all dead!" He screamed.

"No! We can all make it!" I argued.

"No we can't!" Berlin yelled.

"You're coming with me." I said emphatically as tears fell down my face rapidly.

"You're going and I'm staying." Berlin said.

"No you can't!" I cried. "Andrés! Please! Stop this!"

"You're going and I'm staying." He repeated. "And that's final."

"You lied to me." I sobbed. "You promised me a family!"

"I would apologize but you wouldn't believe me even if I did so I won't." He said as he walked towards me and grabbed my face in his hands.

"Please don't leave me." I begged.

"I don't have a choice _mi reina_." He said as his thumb stroked my bottom lip comfortingly. "You are by far the greatest thing that has ever happened to me...and the fact that I get to die knowing I was loved? And not by just anyone...but by _you_?"

"Paris Laurent." He said with a sad smile. "The woman who stole my heart and saved my life in more ways then one."

"No." I sobbed out. "No! How can you do this to me? To Alex? To your brother? How are you ready for this?"

"You think I'm ready for all of this?" He asked seemingly surprised with my words. "To die without you? To end our love story here? Who's ever ready for something like that?"

"Then don't go!" I pleaded but he just shushed me as he placed his lips on my own in a gentle kiss.

It wasn't passionate.

It wasn't full of desire.

No.

It felt like a _goodbye_.

"I love you Paris." He whispered out softly but before I could respond he spoke again.

"Helsinki!" Andrés shouted as Helsinki walked towards us.

"I hate you!" I screamed.

"Take her." Berlin said as he looked up at the ceiling and he pushed me softly into Helsinki's arms.

"I hate you so much!" I yelled as I pounded my fists against Helsinki's back and he dragged me down into the tunnel.

Tears fell down my face at a rapid pace as the sight of Andrés disappearing before my very eyes replayed over and over in my head.

_And in that very moment I knew I had lost him._


	19. Chapter 19: I Surrender.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
_3:48 P.M._

"Helsinki." I cried. "You have to let me go."

"Helsi! Please!" I begged him. "He's going to die in there if I don't go back!"

"You know I can't do that." He responded as he dragged me towards the ladder that led to the hanger.

"No!" I screamed. "Don't do this!"

"Oslo!" Helsinki yelled. "Pull her up."

"No!" I shouted as I fought against Oslo's arms. "Stop!"

"Paris?" The Professor asked as my feet hit the concrete ground. "Where's Berlin?"

"He stayed inside." I said softly.

"What?" He asked incredulously. "Why?!"

But he didn't wait for a response.

Instead he turned his back towards me and turned towards his computer.

"Berlin." The Professor said into the headset.

"Professor!" Berlin shouted sarcastically. "It seems you caught me at a bad moment."

"Get in the tunnel." Sergio said.

"Negative." Andrés replied as I choked back a sob.

"Andrés get in the tunnel!" Sergio said sternly.

"They're on top of me it's too late!" Berlin yelled into the headset. "Blow the tunnel!"

"No!" The Professor yelled.

"Helsinki blow the tunnel!" Berlin roared as Helsinki held up the detonator.

"Do not blow the tunnel!" Sergio yelled back.

"Don't!" I screamed at him accusingly. "I will kill you if you blow the tunnel."

"I love you little brother." Berlin said as he let a tear fall down his cheek. "Remember that."

"Screw this bullshit!" I yelled as I made my way towards the hole once more.

"Mommy!" Alex screamed in desperation and for a moment I was ashamed to admit that I forgot to check on her once I had reached the hanger. "Where are you going?!"

"I'm bringing Andrés back." I said softly as I climbed back into the tunnel before Helsinki or Oslo had a chance to grab me.

I ran as fast as I could towards the shooting as I grasped my gun firmly in my hand.

"Andrés!" I screamed out as the bright lights of the vault made their way into my eyesight and I quickly walked into the hall to see him kneeling in front of the machine gun while he unloaded bullets from it at a rapid pace.

"Berlin!" I shouted as I quickly knelt down beside him and I watched as his face contorted into one of pure shock as he realized I was sitting beside him.

"Paris?! What the fuck are you doing?!" He yelled as he began to load the gun with more ammunition.

"I'm not letting you die in here you son of a bitch." I said defiantly as I shot at the police that were slowly approaching us.

"I'm going to die anyway!" He protested.

"No!" I screamed. "Don't! Don't do that shit!"

"Your brother needs you! I need you! And _our daughter_ needs you! Don't you understand that?!"

"Paris..."

"Stop!" I yelled out in frustration. "I'm going to get you out of here and once I do we're going to go far away from this treacherous country."

"We're going to step foot on a beautiful island with your brother and my daughter and I'm going to search the fucking world for a treatment for your disease. Do you understand me? I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you. And hopefully one day I'll be able to marry you and make you a permanent figure in my daughters life. We are going to build a family together and I'm going to be your fucking wife." I said emphatically. "So don't sit there and act like I'd willingly let you die here because I'd kill everyone else on this team for you. I've chosen you time and time again. I've betrayed my friends. I gave up my life. I gave up my career. All for you to basically commit fucking suicide?! No!"

"I'm giving you exactly what you wanted." I pleaded. "I'm going with you. Please don't make me regret everything I've done here because it's all been for you. Because I love you!"

He didn't get a chance to respond.

Because before he could a light tapping sound caught our attention and before I could recognize what was happening Andrés had already pulled me into the vault and closed the door shut.

"What the fuck?" I asked but my voice was muffled by the loud explosion of a grenade.

"Now is our chance!" I screamed as I pulled him towards the hole.

"I can't go." He said softly.

"You're going." I said firmly. "Whether you go by yourself or I drag you out you _are_ fucking going."

"Paris." He tried to say but I didn't give him a chance to continue because before he could I abruptly pulled him down the ladder with me.

"Let's go!" I yelled as we ran full speed down the dirt covered floor.

"We won't make it!" Andrés screamed.

"We will!" I shouted as the ladder to the hanger presented itself and I silently prayed that we'd make it.

"Come on." I said as I climbed up the wooden legs of the ladder.

"Andrés!" The Professor exclaimed as he practically tackled Berlin with a hug as soon as the older man stepped foot on solid ground.

"I'm here little brother." Andrés said as he wrapped his arms around The Professor.

"Andrés!" Alex screamed with joy as she ran full speed towards him and I watched in awe as Andrés broke away from his brothers grasp in order to pick my daughter up in his arms.

"Thank you." The Professor said lowly as he turned to face me.

"You don't need to thank me." I said sincerely. "I love him."

"I know." He replied simply. "That is something we have in common."

_"Guys." Nairobi said softly as she interrupted us. "We need to keep moving."_


	20. Chapter 20: Happily Ever After.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Recommend Listening To The Song "Feeling Good" By Muse While Reading This Chapter.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
_9:03 A.M._

**_[10 Minutes Later]_ **

_Birds flying high you know how I feel_

"We'll see you at the boat." I said to the rest of the group as they nodded their heads.

_Sun in the sky you know how I feel_

"Of course you will." Nairobi said as she hugged me tight.

_Breeze driftin' on by you know how I feel_

"We have a new life ahead of us." I whispered to her.

_It's a new dawn_

"A new life that we deserve." She reminded me.

_It's a new day_

"A new life that we deserve." I repeated as I broke away from her embrace and I felt Andrés' arm wrap around my waist.

_It's a new life_

"You look gorgeous." He said softly into my ear as he examined the yellow dress that hugged my body in all the right places.

_For me_

"You don't look so bad yourself." I replied with a smile as I ran my hand down the edge of his black suit and I placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

_And I'm feeling good_

"Is everyone ready?" The Professor called out to us all as Andrés picked up Alex and placed her on his hip.

_Fish in the sea you know how I feel_

"Yes." Everyone replied.

_River running free you know how I feel_

"Then let's go." He responded.

_Blossom in the trees you know how I feel_

One by one everyone began to leave in pairs and soon enough only Andrés, Alex, and myself were left.

_It's a new dawn_

"Are you ready?" I asked him.

_It's a new day_

"Ready to start a new life with you?" He asked as we made our way towards the door.

_It's a new life_

"Of course I am." He finished as we walked out of the hanger together.

_For me_

The sunlight shined brightly against our faces as we interlaced our fingers together with identical smiles on our faces and we walked down the street...free.

_And I'm feeling good_

This Was...

A Beautiful...

Fucked Up...

Anger Inducing...

Tear Jerking...

Amazing...

And Passionate...

_Love Story_.  
  


And if I had my way...it would continue **forever.**


	21. Chapter 21: Together.

PARIS' POINT OF VIEW  
 _[3 Years After The Heist]_  
  
  


  
  
  
"Raquel! Stop!" I exclaimed with a bright smile as I chased the feisty woman around the large white kitchen that stood in the large mansion in Thailand. "Give me back the dog!"

"No!" She yelled as she continued to hold my dog hostage. "My dog barks too much so I'm taking yours!"

"That's Alexandria's dog!" I shouted back. "Are you really going to kidnap her pet?!"

"She can't tell the difference!" Raquel argued back as she circled around the dining room table.

"Yes she can!" I screamed as I chased after her but she offered no response.

"Raquel!" I whined dramatically. "Give me back _German_!"

"You have _Dahli_ now!" She said with a smirk. "He looks just like _German_!"

"But your fucking dog barks all the damn time!" I yelled.

"Exaclty!" She said with a chuckle. "That's precisely the reason why you should take my dog."

"What?" I asked incredulously.

"Andrés never shuts up and now neither will your dog." She said proudly.

"No." I snapped. "Your dog never shuts up because he is _untrained_."

"Hey!" She screamed with narrowed eyes. "Sergio read that if you allow the dog to make mistakes on its own that it's more likely to realize how to act without the need to abuse it like Andrés does to your poor pet."

"Sergio read this and Sergio read that." I mocked. "Perhaps your husband should just listen to his older brother for a change and then _maybe_ your dog would actually behave."

"My dog behaves!" Raquel protested as I quickly jumped onto the counter in an attempt to catch her.

"Really?" I shot at her. "Then why are you trying to steal my dog?"

"You don't understand Paris." Raquel sighed. "Paula is so much more content with _German_ and since my daughter is content that means Sergio is much more willingly to have sex with me."

"Oh my god! So this isn't even about the damn dog!" I said as I bursted out laughing. "This is about your sex life!"

"Of course it's about my sex life!" She said loudly. "What else would it be about?!"

"What is going on here?" The familiar voice that belonged to my husband asked as Raquel and I both stood deathly still.

"What ever do you mean?" Raquel asked innocently as we both turned to face Andrés. "We weren't doing anything. Right Paris?"

"Right." I said dryly.

"Raquel." Sergio said with a disapproving look on his face. "What are you doing and why was Paris chasing you around our kitchen?"

"She stole _German_ from me!" I said emphatically as I walked over to Andrés and wrapped my arms around his neck. "She's holding him hostage."

"Hostage?" Andrés questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes!" I exclaimed.

"Give her back the dog." Sergio said to his wife as she narrowed her eyes in his direction.

"Why should I?" She protested.

"Because it's _my_ dog!" I argued.

"Hermana." Andrés said to Raquel with a devilish smirk. "Just because your dog is uncivilized and absolutely disgusting doesn't mean you can abduct _my_ trained dog."

"Fuck you." Raquel spit with a grin that betrayed her attempt to act hostile. "I hate you."

"Don't be so rude." Andrés said with a groan. "You know you love me."

"I love you like I love the flu." She said with a fake smile but before my husband could respond a faint sound of people running into the house cut him off.

"Papà!" Two small voices screamed in unison.

"Princess!" Andrés screamed dramatically as he gently pushed me away from his body and picked Alex up swiftly in his arms.

"How are you?" Sergio asked as he picked Paula up in his arms similar to the way Andrés just had with my own daughter.

"What did you both do today?" Andrés asked the duo curiously.

"Abuela brought us to the village." Alex said as Paula nodded her head with a bright smile.

"Where is Abuela now?" Raquel asked.

"She went to her room to rest." Paula explained.

" _Prima_ let's go play!" Alex exclaimed as she wigged out of Andrés' arms and I watched in amusement as the two little girls ran straight up the grand stair case of the luxury mansion and made their way to their playroom.

"What were both of you doing before you got back?" I asked the brothers with a raised eyebrow. "You were gone for a while?"

Andrés and Sergio said nothing as they shot each other nervous glances back and forth.

"We were...um...having some...um...quality brotherly bonding time." Sergio stuttered out as Andrés smacked his hand against his head with an audible groan.

"How did you even manage to keep us alive in the mint?" My husband said sarcastically. "You are terrible at lying."

"I thought I did a good job!" Sergio defended.

" _Hermano_." Andrés said as he placed a hand on Sergio's shoulder. "You were embarrassing to watch."

"Like you could've done any better." Sergio grumbled as Raquel and I stifled our laughs. "You're lucky your wife found you a cure for your stupid disease because if she hadn't I would've happily watched you die."

"That's another example of a terrible lie." Andrés said with a smirk.

"Seriously." Raquel finally interjected. "What were you both doing?"

"Andrés we have to tell them." Sergio said to his older brother with a sigh.

"Yes I suppose we do." My husband said as he nodded his head.

"What the fuck are you going to tell us?" I snapped impatiently.

"Come on _mi reina_." Andrés said with a grin as he grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers together.

"What is happening?" Raquel asked as Sergio mirrored his older brothers actions and grabbed his wife's hand.

"You'll see." Andrés said as Sergio and himself led Raquel and I out the front door of our home and onto the large walkway that led up the mansion.

"What are we doing out here? Are we supposed to be seeing something?" Raquel asked.

"Andrés what are you doing?" I asked in an exasperated tone.

"Look." He said simply as he pointed towards the large gate that surrounded our house.

It looked like there were seven figures standing on the grass.

But they weren't just _any_ seven figures.

No.

They looked familiar.

_Too familiar._

"Oh my god." I breathed out in shock as Andrés chuckled beside me.

"What do you say we have a family reunion?" He whispered into my ear as I took off running towards the group standing near my gate.

"Nairobi! Tokyo! Rio! Denver! Mónica! Helsinki! Oslo!" I screamed in joy as I practically tackled Nairobi to the ground in a large hug.

"Woah! Don't kill me!" She exclaimed with a chuckle as I ignored her statement and pulled her tighter against my body.

"Hey!" Tokyo yelled as she pushed my arms off of Nairobi. "Let me into this hug!"

"I've missed you both." I admitted as I held them close to me.

"We've missed you too." Nairobi said softly.

"Paris!" Denver yelled as he and Mónica walked over to us and pulled me out of Nairobi and Tokyo's grasp.

"Shit!" I exclaimed as I observed the baby in Mónica's arms. "You had the baby?!"

"Yeah." Mónica said with a soft chuckle. "His name is Cincinnati."

"Cincinnati." I repeated with a smile. "I love it!"

"I named him." Denver boasted proudly.

"I'm sure you did." I said with a chuckle.

"Paris!" Helsinki and Oslo said in unison.

"How are you both?" I asked as I hugged them both quickly. "Have you crushed any bodies yet?"

"No." Helsinki said with a laugh. "Nairobi keeps us in check."

"As she should." I commented as they both narrowed their eyes at me playfully.

"Rio." I said sincerely as I turned the last member of the group I had yet to greet.

"Paris." He said with an emotional smile.

"Come over here." I said softly as I pulled him into a gentle hug. "How have you been?"

"I've been living in paradise." He said with a grin. "But I've missed you."

"I've missed you more." I said genuinely as I hugged him tighter against my body.

"How is life with Berlin?" He asked with a wicked smile.

"Extraordinary." I admitted. "How is life with Tokyo?"

"Extraordinary." He said with a chuckle as he reiterated my words.

"Who did all of this?" I asked the group as they all turned to face me.

"It was The Professor and Berlin's idea." Nairobi said as I turned to face Andrés with a small smile.

"You did this?" I asked as I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his waist. "For what reason?"

"For you." He answered simply.

"I love you." I said as I placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I love you too." He replied as he stroked my bottom lip.

"What the fuck?" Nairobi suddenly breathed out as Sergio walked over with Raquel closely by his side.

"What is this bitch doing here?" Tokyo spat as Rio quickly moved to her side in an evident attempt to protect her.

"She's one of us." Berlin said as The Professor nodded his head in agreement.

"You can trust her." I assured the group as they looked at me skeptically.

"How can you be so sure?" Tokyo challenged.

"She's my sister." I said sincerely.

"She's also my sister." Andrés added.

"And she's my wife." Sergio clarified as the whole group went deathly still.

"Your wife?" Helsinki asked in shock.

"My wife." The Professor repeated.

"And Paris is mine." Andrés said with a proud smirk.

"You both got married?" Oslo asked.

"Yes." The Professor and Berlin responded in unison.

"Mónica and I got married." Denver interjected.

"Holy shit." I said with a large grin. "How many of us are married now?"

"Three." Helsinki said with a chuckle.

"Rio and I are engaged." Tokyo informed the group as we all cheered softly for the duo that quite honesty nobody thought would last.

"I'm pregnant." Nairobi said softly as everyone went silent at her words.

"You're pregnant?" Mónica asked with a gentle smile.

"Yes." Nairobi said as her face broke out into an excited grin. "I'm pregnant!"

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed. "Congratulations!"

"Hey you guys. I'm not trying to rain on anybody's parade but I've also got some news." Raquel said as everyone quieted down to hear her revelation.

"I'm also pregnant." She added as Sergio's mouth fell open in shock.

"You're pregnant?" I asked in astonishment as Andrés shook his head with a soft laugh.

"You're really pregnant?" Sergio asked mirroring my own words.

"Yes." She said as Nairobi engulfed her in a hug.

"Guys." Denver said with a small shake of his head. "We're so grown up."

"I know right." Tokyo said in fake disgust.

"But yet here we are." Andrés said sincerely. "All together."

"All together." I repeated with a soft smile.

"Because we are a family." Rio said as everyone nodded their heads.

"A dysfunctional and chaotic family." Tokyo added.

"But nonetheless _a family_." I finished.


End file.
